Today we are talking about friends. Friendships are so important to our lives. For some of you, the topic of friendships might not seem too deep, but the reality is, friendships have a big impact on our lives.
You can probably think of friends from your early childhood who were formative in those years, but the experiences from those friendships live well beyond that season of life. Those relationships continue to have an impact on our lives today. They shape how we do life, our values and the beliefs we still hold today.
You can also probably think of some friends who were a little crazy and convinced you to do some crazy stuff. They might have been those friends your parents didn’t like -- and for good reason -- because they got you in a mess of trouble! But friends are those with whom we laugh together, cry together, make dumb decisions together and then laugh about those!
Here’s the truth you’ll find in Scripture. As we look at the interaction of people in the Bible, we see God using those relationships to accomplish His will in people’s lives. Time and time again we see God using a friend to encourage, support, and even rebuke when needed to help guide and direct our lives. This is why Proverbs 27:6 NIV says, “Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.” Friends ARE for encouragement, but real friends also show us when we get off the path. This is God’s design and is why friendships are so important to us and important to this year being all that God wants it to be.
So today we are going to look at a story of a friendship in the Bible that will help us understand the power of great friendships.
