How Do We Choose a Friend? ...

(Editor’s Note: This column is written by a different Littlefield pastor for the Leader-News each week. The columns are published on this page on Wednesdays.)

I begin this topic by saying that even though it seems easy, it isn’t.

Within friends, which one has been your friend the longest time?

A true friend comes out of a friendship. There is more trust and let’s see what the Word of God tells us in Proverbs 18:24 “ A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother”.

If you were to ask me how many friends should we have? I would say not many. I have had the experience where I have been told: I want you to be my friend and I have said yes and as time went by it did not work out. I tried for a while. I did not say anything about it to the person, nor did I critize him, I realized that it was not possible to be friends.

There is another passage in Proverbs 17:17 “A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity”. And now it’s alright, let’s not think on how friends treat us, but on how we treat our friends. Allow me to share on how I do it. I call them and do not call it to there attention, for example “If I don’t call you, you don’t call me”. I ask them how they are and how their family is doing and other things. It is very important to continually converse with them: There are friends that for some reason or another stop being friends.

There should be nothing that comes between friends. There is an expression that says: “Few words are needed if we understand each other”. But if there is an opportunity for a friendship to reconcile, we should be willing to do it.

I tell you I have lived situations like the ones I shared. We should avoid loneness at all cost.

King David mentioned in several passages concerning loneness. For example Psalms 25:16 “See and have mercy on me because I am alone and afflicted”. And then in verse 20 he expresses the following: “Guard my soul, set me free; do not allow me to be ashamed, for I trust in you”.

How do we choose a friend?

I bless you and may Jehovah be you guide.