4 Ways To Be A Good Friend
2 Timothy 1:15–18
By Abraham Adeyemi
Finding a good friend is hard today. But we all need a good friend. And it is not against the word of God if you have a friend, and at the same times, you must be very careful in choosing who you friends are.
Some want to be your friend because of what you have so that they can take advantage of you. Some want to be your friend because of the connections you have.
Others want be your friend because of what you know.
Some want to be your friend because of your relationship maybe you are from the same extended family, went to the same school, church, and country.
Having someone you call your friend is very important. Let’s see what Bible says about friendship.
“A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”
Proverbs 17:17 KJV
“A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”
Proverbs 18:24 KJV
“Thine own friend, and thy father’s friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother’s house in the day of thy calamity: for better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.
Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.”
Proverbs 27:10, 17 KJV
These above Bible verses are places where God tells us about friendship. And we have many beautiful stories in the Bible about good friendship like David and Jonathan, and also bad example of friendship like Amnon and Jonadab. The kind of friends you make will either make you a better person, or destroy your life.
“He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.”
Proverbs 13:20.
. HOW TO BE A GOOD FRIEND SCRIPTURALLY
- Pray for your friends.
- “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,”
- Philippians 1:3–4 KJV
- One of the most beautiful thing you can do is to pray for your friends. They all have needs, they are all going through some difficult situation, they all need someone to lift their spirit, and to lift them up in prayers. You can show them how much you love them by praying for them. Let them know that you are praying for them.
2. Identify Yourself with them in their tough situation
“This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes. The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me. The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.”
2 Timothy 1:15–18 KJV
Not only to pray for them, you must identify yourself with them in their tough situation. Many friends will run away from their friends because they are in tough situation, and they get closer when things are easy. Young Onesiphorus identified himself with Apostle in prison while others are running away from Paul.
3. Visit your friends
It is someone that you hate, that his house is far, but if you love someone, you will look for that person. Sometimes, it’s hard to believe that you call someone your friend, and you will not visit each other. I am of an opinion that true friendship finds time for each other. Onesiphorus visited Paul in the prison.
Prison is not a place to be, but he will go to Paul, they probably share goodness together, sweet memories, and jokes. Paul said, this young Onesiphorus refreshed him. Refreshing is like adding a cold water to a tasty tongue. How much do you visit people you call friends?
4. Help them financially if in NEED.
All these things are wonderful things to do, but if they are in a financially need, you can give me money to help them. Don’t ask for it again. Don’t loan a friend money.
5. Write a NOTE to them.
Write a note to them to let them know how much you cherish your friendship.
All these things are practical if you really want be a good friend, you need to do all these things.
Please feel free to add your own comment on how to be a good friend.
