Bible Passage:  Proverbs 27

You’re My Best Friend

“You’re my best friend,” often declare children to their friends.  While children say it so casually and often they do mean it at that moment, there is a verse worth considering: “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend” (Proverbs 27:17).

In Proverbs 27, there are five mentions of the word ‘friend’. Friends always play a part in our lives whether old or young, near or far. In our circle of life, we must realize that we need friends and they do affect us.

Concerning friends, here are three main teachings in this chapter we ought to take heed of. Firstly, “faithful are the wounds of a friend” means that it is good for us to be reproved, and told of our faults, by our friends. Secondly, the “sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel”; it is good to have a friend with whom we may communicate counsels. It is not necessary that this friend should be in any relation to us, but it is advisable to choose a friend among our neighbours who live near us. Lastly, do not overpraise a man lest it make him the object of envy or tempt his pride.

Whether inside church or outside church, we need to choose our friends wisely, but we also need to be a good friend to others. At the end of the day, as True Jesus Church members, are we not supposed to be like Jesus, friend to saints and sinners?

Therefore, we ought to befriend those who have yet to know Jesus. Instead of worrying about having best friends forever, we need to be like Jesus, caring for His closest friends as well as spreading the message of salvation to mere acquaintances.