Monday, August 27, 2007

Friendship in Proverbs 27

27:6 - Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.

~Everyone who makes nice is not necessarily a friend
~A friend will sometimes say the uncomfortable for our own good

27:9 Oil and perfume make the heart glad, So a man's counsel is sweet to his friend.

~Look for friends who will share counsel and consider it sweet rather than meddling when someone cares enough to offer counsel. ::snort::

27:10 Do not forsake your own friend or your father's friend, and do not go to your brother's house in the day of your calamity; better is a neighbor who is near than a brother far away.

~God has made provision for those of us who live far from family - righteous friends
~Here you go - I don't believe God intends for us to change friends with the season - this verse has something to say about loyalty in relationships

27:14 He who blesses his friend with a loud voice early in the morning, It will be reckoned a curse to him.

~Don't bug your friends in the early morning. ::snort:: Soft voice is o.k. hmmm....

27:17 Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

~This verse seems to summarize the previous verses on friendship. We are to sharpen one another. This will not happen as readily if we only hang out with those we find comfortable. It will not happen if we desert those who have the courage to speak truth into our life. It will not happen as readily if we flit from relationship to relationship and never develop depth in any of our relationships.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh-Oh! Strong opinion alert!

I've seen that last verse (mis)used a LOT by a certain type of christian as an excuse to beat up ther brothers and sisters in Christ. Verbally (and emotionally).

So, you'll get told what to think, verbally harangued, bullied even, and then told it's the person's Biblical duty to do it, quoting this verse.

What these people seem to MISS is that such criticism is only valid/useful/fair/right/a duty and only *effective* in the context of a true friendship!

You have to KNOW you are loved, and not going to be abandonned, by the person who tries to sharpen you, because being sharpened can be such a very painful process! {vbg}

Yes, lots of bitter experience here of being sharpened by people who are NOT friends! {g}

DeEtta @ Courageous Joy said...

Isn't that the truth, Dorothy....I did say a FRIEND and I'm assuming here the close associate that we looked at a few days prior.

On the other hand, all who make nice to your face are not true friends either. LOL