Unconditional love is present in the life of friends. They don't condemn you as though they are superior just because you are not perfect. They assume the best until something else is proven.
A faithful friend accepts you, your good and your ugly. They encourage you in right and correct you when you are wrong.
A true friend laughs with those who laugh and weep with those who weep. They engage in our joys as well as our trials.
When your friend makes it clear that you have no voice or imput into their lives, and they have no interest in ours, perhaps even being chastised for sharing an opinion when they are telling you their plans, then that person is not a true friend. Friends respect and consider the opinions of those they love.
Friends are allowed to share their opinions and thoughts about what we say to them. When a friend judges your character as evil or mean because you shared a concern, then that person is not a friend. Friends understand one another, they have one another's back in tough times.
True friends do no seek to find an issue with everything we do, they engage in honest dialogue to discern truth before making judgments.
Proverbs 18:24 "24 A man of too many friends comes to ruin, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."
A good friend will tell us something we are doing is wrong, not to gloat over their own goodness but in deep concern for OUR well being. That same friend is sad when they have to correct, but they do it out of love.
When we love someone we spend much time with them, we encourage them in their choices and even are of help at times. We love their phone calls and they enjoy ours.
A wicked friend tears down what you want to accomplish in your life, they will mock, demean and lie against us to elevate self. They are jealous continually. They are not true friends, but enemies posing as friends. We should have few if any of these types in our lives and we should pray that we do not become one of these controlling ones. They do not improve because we are kind to them, in fact they actually grow worse with each new encounter.
Isaiah 26:10 "10 Though the wicked is shown favor, He does not learn righteousness; He deals unjustly in the land of uprightness, And does not perceive the majesty of the LORD."
Proverbs 27:6 "6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful."
Proverbs 12:26 "The righteous is a guide to his neighbor,
But the way of the wicked leads them astray."
Hebrews 10:24 "24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,"
Never feel guilty about weeding out friends from your list of those who do not enhance your walk with Christ. Notice I did not say "enhance your life." Our goal is to walk more closely with Christ every day, to do this we must have in our lives those who want the same thing.
They are out there, of that I am sure, but they are not easy to find. Let the Lord lead you to those who love Him.
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