How Can I Be A Godly Friend?

Being Friends
Background Scripture: Proverbs 17:17; 18:24; 27:5-6,9-10,17; Philippians 4:1-3,10,14-16
How can I be a godly friend?

Quote of the Week: It is reported that Howard Hughes, when worth approximately 4 billion dollars, said, “I’d give it all for one good friend.” -- The Hidden Value of a Man, Smalley, Trent, pp. 133ff

What are the characteristics of a friend?
There are all types of friends that we have through life. Some are transitory - friends for a season. Some are friends for life. Some are high maintenance, in that they take an awful lot out of us. Some are simply acquaintances. Some we'd do most anything for, and some to whom we'll just say hello to in passing.

Friends play an important role in any person's life. Not only do we have friends, but we are the friends of many others. So, it's not only what you look for in a friend but what kind of friend that you are. If you either have children or have had teenagers, you know the importance of the friends that your kids have. Some can encourage them in positive ways, while others can be very detrimental examples.

Much of our formative years, from kindergarten through high school and beyond, have been enriched with the presence of friends. At some point, you likely found yourself wanting to fit in with a certain group of friends, so it was crucial the type of people with whom you wanted to fit in. They could lead you down the path to negative things like alcoholism and drug use, pornography, and many other ills, or they could actually be an encouragement to do well in school, be involved in sports, become a good citizen or even to grow in our spiritual walk. I have seen many kids at my church that have come to know Christ as the direct result of their Christian friends.

Friends play an important role at all times in our lives.
Since friendship is such a crucial part of each of our lives, it is important that we become the type of friend that God has called us to be. He is our Creator and He has specified how relationships are to be. Make sure your idea of who you should be as a friend is the same as who God has called you to be. Strive to be the kind of friend that God has called you to be.