| Yesterday's Bible Study |
In this verse from Proverbs, we have a beautiful depiction of friendship--someone who sticks closer than a brother. Family relationships are usually regarded as the closest bonds there are between people; but some friendships go even deeper than those. This verse tells us that we should put work into our friendships, and that such work is worth it in the end, helping us establish quality relationships with people around us.
Friendship is one of the sweetest pleasures we have on Earth. The ability to be totally honest with another person, to mourn together and rejoice together, reminds us of the Lord's love for us. It reminds us that we are not alone in this world, left to fight our own battles for ourselves. Instead, we are meant to come together in unity, enjoying the pleasures of friendship with other people, loving each other as family even if there is no blood relationship.
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Finding true friends like these begins with being friendly, as the verse says. That means we should be willing to extend ourselves if we want other people to do the same for us. Maybe this means that we notice who seems out of place at a party and make an effort to help the person feel comfortable. In other instances, it might be reaching out to someone online to offer encouragement. Or, it might mean bringing a welcome gift to a neighbor or simply joining the greeting team at your church. Cultivating a friendly attitude and mindset will draw more people to you, and you will be planting the seeds for future quality relationships.
The other important component of creating quality friendships is prayer. Ask the Lord to draw the right people to you and to help you identify opportunities to reach out that will speak to them. The Lord is gracious to always open our eyes up to ministry opportunities, and we need to pay attention to His promptings to keep our eyes open. As we do, the Lord will speak to us, helping us cultivate friendships that draw us closer to Him each day.
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