Godly Friends
Who you journey with makes a big difference in life. Godly friends, who can find? They mind the same thing, say the same thing, encourage each other and rely on each other. They challenge each other to righteousness, help, and tell each other the truth. Their correction and rebuke are life-saving. They pray together and bear their burdens together. They rejoice together and point each other in the right direction. They are sincere, and their love is concrete.
Iron sharpeneth iron; So a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. Proverbs 27:17 (KJV)
They run the heavenly race together and are exemplary people. You can count on them. They support each other. In times such as these, both will make it to Heaven. They will remind each other of God’s promises and the things to come. Their words are sweet. They will not allow each other to fail in the race before them.
We all want to have such friends but it takes two to make it happen. To be a pair of godly friends, each must be genuine so that both can contribute to the purse. There must be the same hunger and thirst after righteousness. The desire to know more of God and please Him is the hinge of the relationship.
A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: And there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24 (KJV)
Jonathan and David are examples of such friends. The scriptures wrote powerfully of their friendship.
And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 1 Samuel 18:1 (KJV)
They were glued together because of their similarities in character and values. Jonathan went as far as giving David his princely robe and armour. Jonathan protected him from his wicked father, Saul. Almost all preachings I have heard about David and Jonathan's friendship talk about their love for each other, but there are some things we have not noted that lead to such an intimate friendship. They made a covenant, and let’s see why:
1 Samuel 13:3 Jonathan smote the Philistines, though the victory was attributed to Saul.
In chapter 14:6 Jonathan went into the garrison of the Philistines and smote them. He called them ‘uncircumcised’. He recognised the strength of God and used His name for the battle.
In chapter 17, Goliath arose, and no one could challenge him. David smote him and the Philistines. David called him ‘uncircumcised Philistine’ as Jonathan did. David attributed the victory to God as Jonathan did. He said, ‘You come against me with a sword and shield; I come against you in the name of God whose armies you defied. A type of what Jonathan said: “It may be that the Lord will work for us for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or few”.
I am a companion of all them That fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts. Psalm 119:63 (KJV)
Both had commonalities. They were passionate about God. They revered Him, knew His power to save, and were fearless and bold. They were birds of a feather that flocked together.
You will love any brother or sister whose passion for the Lord is blazing like yours. You will have a common interest. Jonathan loved David because they were in the same spiritual circle. When Jonathan died, David knew something had gone out of him.
I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: Very pleasant hast thou been unto me: Thy love to me was wonderful, Passing the love of women. 2 Samuel 1:26 (KJV)
On the flip side, complainers and tale-bearers attract each other. Their stories are sweet in each other’s ears. The compromisers are happy with each other because they comfort one another with their excuses. They are not true to each other and dampen each other’s fire. They can easily deceive each other.
But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man. 2 Samuel 13:3 (KJV)
Some people are not careful when choosing their friends in the Church and contemporary life. Your friendship will determine how far you can go in a journey.
If you are a Christian and your best friend is not, I wonder what the conversation is all about. Can you pray, study the Bible, reason, and believe God together? You will not be yourself in any discussion. You will not reference God so that you will not offend him. You will find fault with some things done in the Church because they will not go well with your friends. You will deny God. He is at a party, and you are at Church, but you will meet up in the evening. Haba!! You can only tell a blind man that there is no oil in the soup, but not salt.
Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. 1 Corinthians 15:33 (KJV)
Rehoboam took the counsel of his friends over the elders and lost the greater part of his kingdom to Jeroboam.1 Kings 12.
Pray that Elohim will give you a godly friend. While you are looking for them, they are looking for you too. God will make your path to cross in Jesus name, Amen.
