Friends can make an enormous difference in our lives. Those you keep company with will have an effect on your behavior, your emotional status, your self-esteem, and the decisions you make.
Warning you are about to enter the “Danger Zone” When choosing your friends, choose wisely. Provers 18:24 says, “One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” An unreliable friend will let you down when you need them most. They will convince you to do things that serve them and not you. Unreliable friends are terrible listeners. It’s all about them. Good friends are those who will be there for you in your times of trouble. When you are tempted to sway from God’s truth, good friends can help you remain faithful. John 15:13 says, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” A good friend is someone who puts his friend’s wellness above their own.
Do your friends continually break your trust? Do they try and stop you from making other friends? Do they try and get you to participate in things you know are wrong? If they do, you may have a bad friend. Does your friend respect your goals? Do they help you become the best you? How you answer these questions will help you determine if your friend is in the “Danger Zone.” A good friend will tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear. They will do this even when it isn’t pleasant. Proverbs 27:9 says, “Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.” Who you let be in your closest circle of friendship can make or break you. Jesus is the best friend you can ever have. He is a friend that will never leave you nor forsake you. He is a friend that gave his life for you. He is a friend you can count on when the chips are down. Are your friendships in the “Danger Zone”? Are they pulling you away from God or driving you closer? Are they strengthening your marriage or are they weakening it? The longer a bad friendship is allowed to remain, the more damage it will do.
