“Show me your friend and I will tell you who you are.”
A friend simply defined, is
anybody who likes you and has the same interests as yourself, who will support
you. A friend could be met anywhere; in school, church, events et al. Also,
your friend could be anybody who you feel comfortable to work with, talk to or
play with. Your friend could be your mom or dad, sibling, even your teacher. Generally,
a friend is who you spend most of your time with, who you walk with. One thing
is true about life, no matter how unfriendly you are, you will still
have at least one friend. My thought about “what” people consider friend to be
gives birth to this piece. Many people consider a friend JUST as someone who
they will meet and part with, someone that will be at a time, part of their
lives. But I tell you, a friend is far more than that. A friend could be the
person who will help you achieve your aims in life or someone who will destroy
your life without remedy all within a shortwhile. This piece is all about carefully choosing who you
think will be good for you. Take a little time to check the combination of
these pairs of people;
1. Abraham
and Lot (Genesis 12:5, 13:1, 13:5-6), Lot became rich because he was walking
with Abraham who has been blessed of God.
2. Jacob
and Laban (Genesis 30:27-31), God multiplied Laban just because he was connected
to a blessed man, Jacob.
3. Joseph
and Potiphar (Genesis 39:5), same was the case of this Egyptian, he got
connected and the blessings flew to him.
There are many examples of
blessings-attached collaboration. Look around you; are you a blessing to people
around you or a parasite?
However, the
person you walk with might be destroying you, if Samuel had done what Eli’s
sons did, the unction on him might not manifest. A wise saying goes thus; “If
you hang out with the chickens, you’re going to chuck and if you hang out with
the eagles, you are going to fly”. This piece is not advising you to start
condemning your relationship with some people. Rather, it’s about critical and
careful observations of the said people. Look at their attitudes outside their
relationship with you, you know, they might be polite and responsible to you
because of the interest you share. Be sure, someday, they will show their true
self to you. Then, how do they talk, act, appear in a social setting... Mathew
7:20 says “by their fruits, you shall know them”, their fruits are their
attitudes. I want you to know very well that the attitudes of your true friends
will reflect in you... Proverbs 13:20. Even if you are good from home, your
corrupt friends will spoil you. If you seem to observe that your friends are
corrupt and not good for your progress, it is safe for you to flee from such
friends, but it is kind to help them change. If they are not changing then you
dispose them.
Ensure
that you are not friends with someone from whom you are not gaining at all,
your friend must be adding to you and not just drain the little you have. As
a student, if your friend is not helping you academically, what about
spiritually? However, it is not all about receiving, you should also have
something good to offer to your friends, in fact there’s more blessing in
giving than receiving. After reading this piece, please make sure you take an
effect, will you be changing someone or even yourself? Will you have to let go
of some friends and let God? Will you share to help a FRIEND? Bless you!
