The well know passage from Proverbs seventeen begins something like this, "A friend loves at all times..." That seems like a fairly good description of a friend to me. Last year when I moved to a new state I decided that I would try to make the best friends I could, this seemed like a great plan but there was one problem. How do I know who would make a good friend? How do I know if they will 'love at all times'? Also in the book of Proverbs, It says that "Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm." I wish to become wise and I do not desire to suffer harm, my answer was simple, I will become friends with wise people. Again I found myself in a small conundrum. How do I know if a person is wise? It was at this point that I set out on a journey through (the book of) Proverbs making a list of what it directly says regarding the characteristics of a wise person. Here is the basic outline that I derived from my study.
A wise person...
Listens
Learns
Gets wise advice
Listens to his dad
Obeys his mother
Stays away from situations where others are sinning
Has discretion
Has understanding
Stays away from people who
...say perverse things
...rejoice in evil
...cheat
...flatter
Trusts the Lord
Doesn't trust his own knowledge
This is the first part of my list and I would continue writing, but alas I must arise earlier than usual and, subsequently, need to get some rest before I do so. I will try to continue this shortly, (as opposed to finishing this longly).
How do you and how did you choose your friends? Did you just happen upon them and fall into friendship? Did you specifically seek a few of them out and try to become friends? Lastly I would like to ask you a more personal question. Are you a good friend?
My wife and I just finished reading Proverbs tonight. I appreciate your effort here to pull some threads together.
ReplyDeleteOne item missing from your list is that a wise man helps the poor. I tried to make marks next to proverbs that convicted me and so I noticed this one.
As for friendship, I've never really sought them out; that always felt awkward. I've always let friendships develop. I'd say that they've generally been wiser than me. I think that's because God was calling me in that direction. (It took some convincing.)
God seems to always have a way of bringing us to where we need to be, even if we don't yet know it. Often I am recalled to the 'all things work together for good, for those who love God.'(paraphrased)
ReplyDeleteI send you my blessings in your friendships, may God always be the one who designs them.