Biblical Friendship

Why did God make friends? What does it mean to be a friend? Friendship is when two or more people care about each other and spend time together. Good friends are always there for each other, but there are also many instances in life when so-called “friends” betray us, or lead us into sinful situations. What does it really mean, then, to be a good friend?

1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” This verse is speaking to a body of believers, saying that they should encourage one another because they’re made alive in the hope of Christ’s salvation. As Christians who are saved, we should always build our friends up with encouraging words, even if those friends aren’t fellow believers. Since we have this hope in life, it’s important to share it with the people we care about. This doesn’t always have to be something big, either. Being kind and positive towards your friends in small matters is enough.

Another important part of friendship is honesty. Have you ever seen those videos on TikTok comparing friends to best friends? The friend will ask if something looks good on them, and the person will say it does, but when the best friend askes, they get a “No, go change.” These videos are exaggerated, and they’re supposed to highlight the fact that best friends are comfortable enough with each other to joke around, but they also show that people are more honest with their closest friends. No, you don’t always have to tell your friend they look stupid (even if they do), but you should be open with each other and honest about what you think and feel. 1 John 3:18 says, “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”

Jesus gave us the greatest example of what it means to be a friend: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). We should always follow His example when attempting to be a good friend. 1 John 3:16 puts it clearly: “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.” The truth is, we’re never going to be able to do this perfectly. No matter how hard we try, there’s always going to be some area where we fail, some issue we’re too small to fix, some step we’re afraid to take. The trick to being a good friend isn’t doing it all perfectly, but following Christ’s example as closely as we’re able to and turning to God to heal what we can’t. Christ died on a cross to forgive the sins of those who believe in Him. By doing this, He saved us. Ultimately, God is the best friend any of us can ever have. All we can do is follow His example.

Friendship can be difficult. Being a good friend means being encouraging, honest, and following Christ’s example. Ultimately, being a good friend means trusting in God when we fail, and leading our friends to do the same. Proverbs 18:24 reads, “One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”

Sections: Christianity, Devotional, Friends,  Happy, Helping, Nonfiction, Peace