Friend or Acquaintance ?

Friendship!  This is a word so misused and so misunderstood.  Many years ago I heard a teaching on this topic, it stuck and to this day I think about it.  It went something like this...too many times we call people friends who do not qualify as a friend.  This teaching went on to say we should consider only one to two people as true friends.  It takes a lot of time to nurture a friendship, so to have more than that its probably not a friendship but an acquaintance, because you don't have the time for more than that.  In today's world of social media we try to see how many (friends) we can get, it actually makes us feel good about ourselves.  Maybe the problem starts where we don't understand what the definition of a friend truly is.

Friendship should be taken very seriously and we need to learn who is truly a friend.  Just because we may meet someone, like them instantly, enjoy talking to them...it does not make them a friend.  It may not even make them an acquaintance.  There are different levels to the title of friend.

What makes a friend?  A solid foundation must be laid in order to make a building stand strong.  What characteristic should we look for according to scripture.

Proverbs 17:17  A friend loves at all times.

Proverbs 27:10  Do not forsake your friend.

Amos 3:3  Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so.

So friendship takes time, it takes two people who are committed to each other, any less than that is not a friend.  That's O.K.  Not everyone is meant to be our friend.  Friendship doesn't just happen, it is purposed.

Lets see what scripture says about what we should avoid in friendships.

Proverbs 4:14-15  Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil men.

Proverbs 16:17  The highway of the upright avoids evil, he who guards his way guards his life.

Proverbs 20:19  A gossip betrays a confidence so avoid a man who talks too much.

1Thessalonians 5:22  Avoid every kind of evil

2Timothy 2:16  Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.

God takes our friendships very seriously and so should we.  Now that we know what the Bible says about friendship, how would you change (if at all) your definition of a friend ?

Once we learn what a true friend is, maybe the betrayal of an acquaintance will not be so hurtful for we will recognize they weren't really a friend in the first place.

Proverbs 27:6  Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.