Faithful Are The Wounds of A Friend

"Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful." Proverbs 27:6

Whenever I read this verse I am reminded of a couple of things. First, I am reminded of some of my closest friends. We met years ago and a bond formed between us. There are five of us, and we jokingly refer to ourselves as the click. What is great about this group is that we can share some of our most intimate life details and never fear that what we say will end up as a gossip tidbit. We can be real. But another thing that I love about these gals is that they aren't afraid to let me know if I am walking in error or if I am on a path that is leading to destruction. They can speak truth into my life, and I value their input. I give them permission to  hold me accountable. Psalm 141:5 says:

"Let the righteous strike me; It shall be a kindness. And let him rebuke me: It shall be as excellent oil; Let my head not refuse it."

My friends know how to lovingly correct me when I am wrong. It is my prayer that I take such correction in the spirit it is intended, without offense. These girls are looking out for my best interest, just as I would look out for their best interest.

Okay, so I said the verse reminded me of a couple of things. Another thing that verse reminds me of is when a friend asked me for advice. Now, let me say that I am not one to speak flippantly. I want to offer godly advice, not just what my flesh might think is right in the heat of emotion. So I prayed before offering her any advice. I slept on it. And when I did offer the advice, it was straight from the Word of God. But guess what...it offended her. You see, she didn't truly want God's opinion, or even mine. She wanted someone to condone her sin. And I couldn't do that. What kind of friend only tells you what you want to hear when they see you taking a road that will lead to harm? Had I told her what she wanted to hear, I would not have been displaying the traits of a true friend. Our relationship was never the same after that. But I don't regret for a moment what I told her because I knew it was founded in truth.

Having said all that, let me suggest that you find yourselves some real friends who aren't afraid to speak the truth in love. Allow them to hold you accountable. Yes, I know that ultimately we are accountable only to God. But it helps to have someone who can see things that you may not see about yourself. Choose your friends wisely.