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Proverbs 18:24 - True Friendship.

Proverbs 18:24 (NIV) One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 18:24 (NLT) There are "friends" who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.

Proverbs 18:24 (ESV) A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

WORD STUDY

The best text says "may come to ruin" and warns that the person who makes friends too easily and indiscriminately does so to his own destruction. [MacArthur Daily Bible 2003]

INTRODUCTION

We see loneliness everywhere - many people feel cut off and alienated from others. Being in a crowd just makes people more aware of their isolation. Lonely people don't need to hear "Have a nice day." They need friends who will stick close, listen, care, and offer help when it is needed - in good times and bad. It is better to have one such friend than dozens of superficial acquaintances. Instead of wishing you could find a true friend, seek to become one. If you look around, you'll find people who need your friendship. Ask God to reveal them to you, and then take on the challenge of being a true friend yourself. [Life Application SB 2019]

COMMENTARY PEARL

   An Amazing Fact: French angelfish are completely devoted to their partners and mate for life. They are found in the warm tropical parts of the Atlantic Ocean and spend all of their time together - traveling, hunting, sleeping, and protecting their territory. Mature French angelfish are rarely seen alone. If they are, their mate has likely died. They do not "remarry."
   Swans are another species that will keep their mates for life. There have been occasional reports of swans "separating," but only when there has been a nesting failure or loss of young. Perhaps their strong commitment to each other is why pictures of swans conjure up images of romance. On the other hand, the black vulture might not seem like a romantic bird, but it is one of the most faithful animals in the entire animal kingdom. They are so intolerant of "infidelity" that they have been observed attacking other vultures that were unfaithful to their partners!
   The PDSA organization (UK) gives certificates to animals for bravery and devotion. Toby, a black Labrador Retriever, was stabbed four times in the chest and legs by an armed burglar in April 2009 in Lancashire. He successfully chased the burglar off the property. Wicker, a pet German Shepherd, aided his owner's son by fetching help when the boy had an epileptic seizure. Dotty, a donkey, helped her stable mate (a sheep) when it was attacked by a Pit Bull. And Piper, a Labrador Retriever guide dog, defended his blind owner who was attacked and then safely walked his injured owner home. What devotion!
   The Bible says, "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity" (Proverbs 17:17). We can learn much from our animal friends, but our greatest example is found in Jesus Christ, who was made "like His brethren" and declared, "For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother" (Hebrews 2:17; Mark 3:35).
   Jesus, the divine Son of God, was truly a friend who sticks closer than a brother when He gave His very life on Calvary for you. When you face the enemy today, know that there is a Friend who stands beside you and will never leave you alone. [Moving Mountains by Amazing Facts]

COMMENTARY

The End of Loneliness
   Have you ever felt the loneliness of being friendless? You can have a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Jesus Christ can make life joyful, satisfying, and glorious to you. All over the world are millions of men and women who love and serve Jesus Christ. The moment you accept Him, you are closer to them than you are to your own blood relatives.
   There is not a city in the United States that does not have a warm church to which you could go and meet the most wonderful people. There is a giant network of true Christians in every community of America. The moment you clasp their hands, you know that you have friends.
   But first, you must repent, surrender, and commit your heart and life to Christ. Let Him forgive your past sins, and He will take you into His family; He will bring you to the hearth, and you will feel the warmth of the fire. If you are lonely today, I beg you, come to Christ and know the fellowship that He brings.
   If you do not have Christian friends, how can you find them? [Peace for Each Day by Billy Graham]

   This verse says that a friend can be better than a sibling - quite a statement in a culture that was far more family oriented than ours. But how so? Your family may be there for you but they may not really like you or understand you. And there can be long stretches of life in which you have no romantic partner or spouse. A friend, however, may stick with you over the years closer than a brother.
   In the early stage of your life, you were shaped most by your family. But for the rest of your life you will be shaped largely by your friends. You become like the people with whom you spend the most time. As we will see, you can't live without friendship. But remember how deliberate friendship must be. Erotic attraction and family relationships push themselves on you in various ways, but friendship will not. It must be carefully, intentionally cultivated through face-to-face time spent together. And in a busy culture like ours, it is one thing that is often squeezed out.
   How have your best friends over the years shaped and influenced you? Who are your best friends now?
   Lord Jesus, you befriended a handful of disciples and through those friendships you changed the world. Help me choose my friends wisely, cultivate them carefully, and learn all I should learn from them so I can grow into the person you've called me to be. Amen. [God's Wisdom for Navigating Life by Timothy Keller with Kathy Keller]

ILLUSTRATION

   My prayer after moving from Ohio to Texas was, "Jesus, help me to establish relationships with neighbors and make friends." I wanted to get to know the people who lived near me and develop some close relationships, but after almost five years, I came up short. Neighbors were quick to wave and say hi when I met them on the street, but I still hadn't made inroads into developing the real sort of friendships I wanted.
   On Christmas, I whipped up a giant batch of homemade fudge and hand-delivered it to our neighbors' doors. When new folks moved in, I'd bake a batch of chocolate-chip cookies. Everyone seemed to appreciate the gestures, but I still felt as if I'd only made acquaintances and didn't really share a common bond. A little help here, please, Jesus!
   It was about that time I noticed one common characteristic most of our neighbors shared. They owned dogs. In fact, the canine population of the area was so large that I affectionately dubbed our neighborhood "Dog Town." Our family hadn't had a dog in years, but seeing all these bundles of furry cuteness made me yearn for one of my own. And so a new puppy topped my Christmas list that year.
   The moment I took our Yorkie, Sam, on his first stroll around the neighborhood, I became instantly popular. Who doesn't love a tiny puppy? Thanks to Sam, and Jesus, I've finally made lasting friendships. Susan Downs
   Faith Step: If you own a dog, walk it today and be open to the possibility of a new friendship. If not, pray that Jesus will put something new in your life in order to attract friends. [Mornings With Jesus 2024 Devotional by Guideposts and Zondervan]

CLOSING THOUGHT

True Friendship
   No one likes to feel alone and without a friend. We all recognize the importance of friendship and the priceless gift that a true friend can be. Deep friendship - the kind marked by consistency, honesty, and sensitivity - is the standard which the Bible holds up to us.
   Solomon says that a true friend is always loyal, regardless of circumstances: "A friend loves at all times" (Proverbs 17:17). We see our friends exactly as they are, and we still remain consistent in our loyalty to them. Furthermore, sincere friends are prepared to wound in order that their friends might become all that God intends them to be: "Faithful are the wounds of a friend" (Proverbs 27:6). We may not particularly like it, but each of us is in need of friends who will hold us accountable when we err - and each of us is called to be that kind of friend, too.
   We must also consider our use of language: as Paul says, "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up ... that it may give grace" (Ephesians 4:29). You can break a heart with just a word, and it can take a lifetime to repair it.
   Men and women who take these principles seriously may find themselves asking, "Is there really any friend who embodies such characteristics? Is there anyone that I know who is always constant, who rebukes me in love, who will show grace and sensitivity in all of their dealings with me?" And the answer to those questions is found, ultimately, in the person of Christ. The scope of the Lord Jesus' friendship is amazing! He befriended the strangest individuals - stopping under a tree to speak with a tax collector, asking for water from an immoral woman, reaching out to a leper. He was consistent in His love; He was prepared to speak words of truth, however challenging; He built others up. Supremely, He is the one who loved His friends enough to lay down His life for them (John 15:13). He is the friend of sinners:
      What a friend we have in Jesus,
      All our sins and griefs to bear!
      What a privilege to carry
      Everything to God in prayer!
   Jesus' friendship is the golden standard for ours. As friends of Christ, we are called to love and befriend others as He did. In fact, Jesus said, 'You are my friends if you do what I command" (John 15:14). We are to seize every opportunity to share the extent of His friendship with those who are friendless and forlorn.
   We live in a world where acquaintances are often countless and "Facebook friends" are many. But that is not true friendship. Do you have friends who are constant, close, and Christlike? If you do, cherish them. If you do not, pray for some. And today, be that kind of friend to others. You may just be the answer to someone's loneliness or the protection from someone's ruin. [Truth for Life by Alistair Begg]

LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY

Proverbs 18:24 - Types of Friends.
https://www.abible.com/devotions/2021/20211228-1047.html

Proverbs 17:17 - What Is A Friend?
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2019/20190731-1131.html

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT

https://abible.com/links/