There is a popular adage that says “Show me your friend and I will tell you who you are.” This saying is very true. No matter how spiritual you are, 1st Corinthians 15:33 says that “Evil communications corrupt good manners.” There are certain friends who would pull you back and there are others who would help you grow spiritually and in other areas of life. Choose your friends wisely. Before I became born again, I had friends with whom I regularly drank alcoholic wines. Then, I met Christ and my lifestyle changed. When my friends visited, I served them non-alcoholic drinks, and before long, they realised that things were different, and withdrew from me. It was painful to lose my friends then, but I let them go because I didn’t want them to drag me back to the world. Today, God has replaced those friends with a lot of brothers and sisters all over the world. I have made new friends who have helped me in my walk with God. It is this kind of friends that you should have too – friends who will draw you closer to God, challenge you to pursue your dreams, pray with you when you are down and whose positive impact on your life will be evident to all. I must warn you that such friends are not many, but even if it is only one of such you can find, he/she is better than a hundred others who would pull you down.

Jesus is the best friend that any man can have. He said in John 15:15 that:
“….I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.”

Jesus’ friendship should be your standard. If you cannot see through a person’s lifestyle that they have a relationship with Jesus, then they should not be your friend. While Matthew 22:39 says that we should love our neighbours as ourselves, we are only to have a few true friends. Jesus loved everyone when He was on earth, but He kept His inner circle small. Don’t hate those you cannot be friends with. You must love them; just don’t share intimate things with them. Set clear boundaries.

Remember, Iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17).
Written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye.