Choose Valuable Friends
“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you” (John 15:13-14)
In many parts of Africa, friendship is strongly dependent on what people share in common; for example: use of common language, living in the same geographical region, blood relationships and faith relationships. Still, others get friends because of business, studying together, or working together. Others get friends through travelling together by the same means of transport. It should be pointed out that friendship may be vulnerable because anyone from outside its circles is perceived as an intruder and so is anyone who does not speak the same language. This is not Christian.
In the New Testament there is an unlimited, universal dimension to friendship among believers. This friendship knows no geographic, administrative or cultural limits; it is based on Jesus Christ. By His death and resurrection, Jesus opened new alliances for all people, who were formerly without grace and were enemies (Eph 2:12-13). Jesus paid His blood so that we may become friends. Through faith in Jesus, the believer is therefore capable of living in genuine friendship.
We are advised to choose friends who are God fearing. There is a proverb which says, ‘Tell me your friend and I will tell you who you are’. This means that the friends we choose can end up influencing our conduct or behavior. We should be careful with people who surround us, because there are people outside watching us, and they judge us according to type of friends we have. If you choose to be in company of people who are thieves, people will always doubt your integrity or testimony. Also if your friends are involved in drug abuse, sexual immorality, dodging lessons, escaping from school/absenteeism, you will also not escape being put in such a category.
Some people have wondered away from faith because of the friends they choose. We read in the Bible that Job had friends (Job 4:1), but these friends wanted to mislead him because they could not listen from God. They saw Job’s relationship with God as meaningless and a waste of time. But Job stood his ground and challenged their arguments. As Christians we should not tolerate evil; spare your friend by telling him or her the truth in case he or she is going or leading your astray, in so doing you will spare his/her life from hell. If a friend is pulling you to hell, is that a friend? The Bible teaches us to run away from such people (2Cor 6:17).
Choose friends who will build your life positively, friends who are God fearing. We are not supposed to join just any relationship. One needs God’s approval. Pray about it, pray for Gods guidance in growing your friendships. Our key verse above (read it again) points us to the most important friendship: you need to be a friend of Jesus who loved you with the greatest love, by doing what He commands you. This is the only friendship that will assure you of eternal joy and peace.
God bless you.