“A man of many companions may come to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."
Proverbs 18:24
A Friend-Shift
Facebook is now 20 years old. To say that this social media platform changed our lives is a gross understatement. Suddenly, we were able to "make new friends" with the click of the mouse. Certainly, we could argue that the development of social media has helped enrich our lives to some extent. Yet, it has also diluted the meaning of "friends."
2 Types of Friends
Proverbs 18:24 addresses two types of friends. There are those we call friends that are nothing but mere companions. Sure, when times are good, they are happy to associate, particularly if the focus is on their entertainment.
Rough times, however, separate your companions from your friends. This proverb teaches that even if you have many companions, you may not have committed allies when you need them, leading to your ruin.
The other type of friend this proverb addresses is "one that sticks closer than a brother." This description is counter-intuitive--blood is thicker than water, right? Not always. A true friend is one who will be there for you even if it costs him something. Jesus Christ exemplifies this type of friend. "Greater love hath no man than this, than that he lay down his life for his friends." (Jn 15:13).
Which Friend are You?
So, are we a man of "many companions" or a man with a "friend who sticks closer than a brother?"
The answer to this question may depend on whether we are investing in people or consuming social media. There is certainly nothing wrong with having "friends" on Facebook, but let us never forget that Jesus, the ultimate "friend who sticks closer than a brother," was intentional about getting up into the lives of people.
Like Him, let us be intentional about making friends versus merely having companions!
Steve Crawley
MD5 Facilitator
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