“A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24

In life we are going to have many people that we call friends. There are some who will be friends for life, and there are others that will be friends for a season of our lives. There will be some friendships that will be able to stand the test of time, while others will fade gradually over time. Then there are some friendships that we will discover down the road that were never really friendships at all, but people who try to get close to us, so they can use us for their gain.

Regardless of what type of friendships we may develop over our lives, we have an obligation to show ourselves friendly to those we want to befriend. The only way we can have friends is to show ourselves friendly and be the type of friend that we want to have in our lives. If we are not friendly ourselves, then we cannot expect anyone to want to be our friend in return. No matter if we have been hurt by friends in the past and have placed a moratorium on any new friends because of the way we have been treated, we should remember that we have a friend that will always be by our side through thick and thin, and never abandon us in our time of need

 The Scripture reminds us: a person that has friends must show themselves friendly: and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.  

I encourage you today to remember that you must show yourself friendly to those with whom you are friends.  You have to be more than a friend in words, but it is the actions that you do that will show how good of a friend you are.  Are you there for your friends when they need you the most? Are you a confidante and a supporter of those you call friends?

There is a friend that, no matter what you are facing and what you are going through, will be there when you need them the most. There is a friend that will be a confidante, and a supporter no matter what decisions you make. That friend is Jesus. When you need a friend, Jesus is always there for you. You must spend time with Him, because He is always there for you.

I am grateful for the true friends that are in my life, and even when they cannot be there for me, I know I have a friend that sticks close than a brother. He is all the world to me, and that friend is Jesus. Since I know I have a friend in Jesus I have no doubt, “It’s My Year To Get My Thing From My God!”

Be Inspired,
Rev. Dr. Stephen W. Pogue, Pastor
Greater Centennial A.M.E. Zion Church
Mount Vernon, NY