㰀⼀琀爀㸀ഀ
㰀⼀琀愀戀氀攀㸀ഀ
㰀⼀挀攀渀琀攀爀㸀ഀ
㰀戀㸀㰀戀爀㸀圀栀愀琀ᤀ猠 愀 昀爀椀攀渀搀 昀漀爀㼀㰀戀爀㸀㰀戀爀㸀ഀ
A farmer and his friend were sitting on his front porch. The friend said, “We’re best friends, aren’t we?” “Yep.” replied the farmer. A couple of minutes later, the friend said, “If you had two houses, you’d give me one, wouldn’t you?” The farmer replied, “You know I would! I’m your friend.” A few minutes later the friend said, “If you had two Cadillacs, you’d give me one, wouldn’t you?” Once again the farmer replied, “You know I would! I’m your friend.” Waiting for just the right moment, the friend broke the silence saying, “If you had two hogs…” The farmer interrupted him in mid-sentence, blurting out in a gruff voice, “Now hold on…you know I got two hogs!”
䄀氀氀 漀昀 甀猀 栀愀瘀攀 愀 猀椀稀愀戀氀攀 渀甀洀戀攀爀 漀昀 愀挀焀甀愀椀渀琀愀渀挀攀猀⸀ 吀栀攀 渀甀洀戀攀爀 漀昀 瀀攀漀瀀氀攀 眀攀 栀愀瘀攀 猀瀀攀渀搀 琀椀洀攀 眀椀琀栀 椀猀 猀漀洀攀眀栀愀琀 猀洀愀氀氀攀爀⸀ 吀栀攀 瀀攀漀瀀氀攀 眀攀 猀漀挀椀愀氀椀稀攀 眀椀琀栀 椀猀 愀 猀洀愀氀氀攀爀 渀甀洀戀攀爀 猀琀椀氀氀⸀ 䘀椀渀愀氀氀礀Ⰰ 琀栀攀 最爀漀甀瀀 漀昀 瀀攀漀瀀氀攀 眀攀 挀愀氀氀 ᠀挠氀漀猀攀 昀爀椀攀渀搀猀ᤀ†椀猀 瀀爀漀戀愀戀氀礀 琀栀攀 猀洀愀氀氀攀猀琀 漀昀 愀氀氀⸀ 䠀漀瀀攀昀甀氀氀礀Ⰰ 渀漀渀攀 漀昀 琀栀攀洀 眀椀氀氀 戀攀最椀渀 愀 挀漀渀瘀攀爀猀愀琀椀漀渀 眀椀琀栀 ᰀ䤠昀 礀漀甀 栀愀搀 琀眀漀开开开开开☀ᴠ⸠㰀戀爀㸀㰀戀爀㸀ഀ
Acquaintances…people we see socially…people we call friends…close friends…and best friend(s). What determines who belongs in which group? Solomon-a wealthy man and writer of most of Proverbs had a ‘tongue-in-cheek’ comment on the superficial process people use to determine who they want to be their friends:
圀攀愀氀琀栀 戀爀椀渀最猀 洀愀渀礀 昀爀椀攀渀搀猀Ⰰ 戀甀琀 愀 瀀漀漀爀 洀愀渀✀猀 昀爀椀攀渀搀 搀攀猀攀爀琀猀 栀椀洀⸀ ⠀倀爀漀瘀攀爀戀猀 㤀㨀㐀 一䤀嘀⤀㰀戀爀㸀ഀ
Many curry favor with a ruler, and everyone is the friend of a man who gives gifts. (Proverbs 19:6 NIV)
圀栀攀渀 礀漀甀ᤀ爠攀 漀渀 琀漀瀀Ⰰ 攀瘀攀爀礀漀渀攀 椀猀 礀漀甀爀 昀爀椀攀渀搀⸀ 䈀甀琀 猀甀瀀瀀漀猀攀 猀漀洀攀琀栀椀渀最 爀攀愀氀氀礀 戀愀搀 漀爀 攀洀戀愀爀爀愀猀猀椀渀最 栀愀瀀瀀攀渀攀搀 琀漀 礀漀甀ⴀ眀栀愀琀 搀漀 礀漀甀 琀栀椀渀欀 眀漀甀氀搀 戀攀挀漀洀攀 漀昀 礀漀甀爀 ᠀映爀椀攀渀搀猀ᤀ㼠 匀漀氀漀洀漀渀 最漀攀猀 漀渀 琀漀 愀搀搀爀攀猀猀 琀栀攀 攀昀昀攀挀琀 漀甀爀 ᠀渠漀琀ⴀ猀漀ⴀ最漀漀搀ᤀ†琀椀洀攀猀 栀愀瘀攀 漀渀 漀甀爀 挀椀爀挀氀攀 漀昀 昀爀椀攀渀搀猀㨀 䄀 洀愀渀 漀昀 洀愀渀礀 挀漀洀瀀愀渀椀漀渀猀 洀愀礀 挀漀洀攀 琀漀 爀甀椀渀Ⰰ 戀甀琀 琀栀攀爀攀 椀猀 愀 昀爀椀攀渀搀 眀栀漀 猀琀椀挀欀猀 挀氀漀猀攀爀 琀栀愀渀 愀 戀爀漀琀栀攀爀⸀ ⠀倀爀漀瘀攀爀戀猀 㠀㨀㈀㐀 一䤀嘀⤀㰀戀爀㸀㰀戀爀㸀 ഀ
Solomon said that if you come to ruin, you may find that you have two categories of people in your life; ‘many companions’ and ‘a friend’. I don’t think we should be disappointed by this, but rather encouraged to know that realistically, if we have one close friend who loves us through thick and thin we are very fortunate.
䄀 昀爀椀攀渀搀 氀漀瘀攀猀 愀琀 愀氀氀 琀椀洀攀猀☀⠠倀爀漀瘀攀爀戀猀 㜀㨀㜀 一䤀嘀⤀㰀戀爀㸀ഀ
Friendship is not without obstacle, however. Solomon reminds us that friendships suffer attack from the outside:
䄀 瀀攀爀瘀攀爀猀攀 洀愀渀 猀琀椀爀猀 甀瀀 搀椀猀猀攀渀猀椀漀渀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 愀 最漀猀猀椀瀀 猀攀瀀愀爀愀琀攀猀 挀氀漀猀攀 昀爀椀攀渀搀猀⸀ ⠀倀爀漀瘀攀爀戀猀 㘀㨀㈀㠀 一䤀嘀⤀㰀戀爀㸀㰀戀爀㸀ഀ
For some strange reason-perhaps jealousy-certain people just cannot tolerate seeing people become good friends, so what do they do? They gossip about one to the other. The result can be the end of the friendship. So the next time someone is slandering your friend in your presence, tell the gossiper to stop talking about your friend that way. But attack from the outside isn’t the only threat to our friendships:
䠀攀 眀栀漀 挀漀瘀攀爀猀 漀瘀攀爀 愀渀 漀昀昀攀渀猀攀 瀀爀漀洀漀琀攀猀 氀漀瘀攀Ⰰ 㰀戀爀㸀ഀ
but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends. (Proverbs 17:9 NIV)
䤀ᤀ洠 猀漀爀爀礀 琀漀 愀搀洀椀琀Ⰰ 戀甀琀 䤀 栀愀瘀攀 戀攀攀渀 最甀椀氀琀礀 漀昀 琀攀氀氀椀渀最 瀀攀漀瀀氀攀 愀戀漀甀琀 攀洀戀愀爀爀愀猀猀椀渀最 琀栀椀渀最猀 琀栀愀琀 栀愀瀀瀀攀渀攀搀 琀漀 愀 昀爀椀攀渀搀 ☀樠甀猀琀 昀漀爀 氀愀甀最栀猀⸀ 䤀琀 搀漀攀猀渀ᤀ琠 搀漀 愀渀礀琀栀椀渀最 最漀漀搀 昀漀爀 洀礀 昀爀椀攀渀搀 眀栀攀渀 䤀 搀漀 椀琀Ⰰ 愀渀搀 愀挀挀漀爀搀椀渀最 琀漀 匀漀氀漀洀漀渀Ⰰ 椀琀 搀爀椀瘀攀猀 愀 眀攀搀最攀 戀攀琀眀攀攀渀 甀猀 愀猀 昀爀椀攀渀搀猀⸀ 㰀戀爀㸀㰀戀爀㸀ഀ
So. How do we become friends with other people? When does a person change from ‘an acquaintance of mine’ to ‘a friend of mine’? What criteria do we use to select our ‘best friend’? Have you ever heard someone tell about their ‘best friend’ who lives in another city…how they don’t see them but once every couple of years? I have a friend like that…25 years ago, we were best friends, but we have only seen each other a handful of times in the past 15 years. When we get together, we ‘pick up right where we left off’, but in all honesty, we can no longer refer to each other as ‘best friends’. What is different? Time. Without spending time with people, we can’t develop friendships…and without spending time with friends, we can’t maintain the friendship. Solomon put it well in an analogy of a tool:
䄀猀 椀爀漀渀 猀栀愀爀瀀攀渀猀 椀爀漀渀Ⰰ 愀 昀爀椀攀渀搀 猀栀愀爀瀀攀渀猀 愀 昀爀椀攀渀搀⸀ ⠀倀爀漀瘀攀爀戀猀 ㈀㜀㨀㜀 一䰀吀⤀㰀戀爀㸀㰀戀爀㸀ഀ
I can’t sharpen my chain saw at the first of the season and expect to cut all my firewood for the year. Regular sharpening must be a regular part of gathering firewood. Likewise, staying sharp by spending time with your friend needs to be a regular occurrence. Solomon explains why:吀眀漀 愀爀攀 戀攀琀琀攀爀 琀栀愀渀 漀渀攀Ⰰ 戀攀挀愀甀猀攀 琀栀攀礀 栀愀瘀攀 愀 最漀漀搀 爀攀琀甀爀渀 昀漀爀 琀栀攀椀爀 眀漀爀欀㨀 䤀昀 漀渀攀 昀愀氀氀猀 搀漀眀渀Ⰰ 栀椀猀 昀爀椀攀渀搀 挀愀渀 栀攀氀瀀 栀椀洀 甀瀀⸀ 䈀甀琀 瀀椀琀礀 琀栀攀 洀愀渀 眀栀漀 昀愀氀氀猀 愀渀搀 栀愀猀 渀漀 漀渀攀 琀漀 栀攀氀瀀 栀椀洀 甀瀀℀ 吀栀漀甀最栀 漀渀攀 洀愀礀 戀攀 漀瘀攀爀瀀漀眀攀爀攀搀Ⰰ 琀眀漀 挀愀渀 搀攀昀攀渀搀 琀栀攀洀猀攀氀瘀攀猀⸀ 䄀 挀漀爀搀 漀昀 琀栀爀攀攀 猀琀爀愀渀搀猀 椀猀 渀漀琀 焀甀椀挀欀氀礀 戀爀漀欀攀渀⸀ ⠀䔀挀挀氀攀猀椀愀猀琀攀猀 㐀㨀㤀Ⰰ Ⰰ㈀ 一䤀嘀⤀㰀戀爀㸀㰀戀爀㸀ഀ
Don’t ‘go it alone’. Be a friend.ഀ
㰀⼀挀攀渀琀攀爀㸀ഀ
㰀⼀琀爀㸀ഀ
㰀琀爀㸀ഀ
㰀挀攀渀琀攀爀㸀ഀ
吀栀椀渀欀 猀漀洀攀琀栀椀渀最 攀氀猀攀 猀栀漀甀氀搀 戀攀 愀搀搀攀搀 琀漀 琀栀椀猀 瀀愀最攀㼀 䔀ⴀ洀愀椀氀 甀猀 愀琀 㰀椀㸀㰀愀 栀爀攀昀㴀∀洀愀椀氀琀漀㨀椀渀昀漀䀀稀㘀 ⸀挀漀洀∀㸀椀渀昀漀䀀稀㘀 ⸀挀漀洀㰀⼀愀㸀㰀⼀椀㸀ഀ
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㰀⼀琀愀戀氀攀㸀ഀ
㰀⼀挀攀渀琀攀爀㸀ഀ
㰀⼀戀漀搀礀㸀ഀ
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