Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Too many friends?

When I first joined the Facebook community, I teased my nephew for having over 700 friends. “How do you even know that many people?” I questioned.

He admitted there were a few on there he could probably delete because he really didn’t know them and never corresponded with them.

Ya think?

This got me thinking about friendships. How many friends does one need? Is having more friends better than having only a few? Which friendships are worth hanging onto, and which could be let go?

There are people we know who enhance our lives and help make us better people. In my life I would say these are the people who help keep me focused on God. My dearest friends are those who are sympathetic if I’m going through a difficult time, but ultimately they will point me to the Word, they will remind me of God’s faithfulness, and they will pray with me.

There are also people who complicate our lives and detract from our purpose here. With their minds set on the world and not on things above, it’s easy to get caught up in their trappings of gossip and negative thinking. They might be kind people who are lots of fun, but without a foundation of faith in God, what do they have to offer of lasting value?

Amos 3:3 (NKJV) says, “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” Friends are like-minded. If we gravitate toward fellow Christians who build us up in our faith, the strength we acquire from these relationships will carry into other relationships. We can bring the loving support we receive from the Lord and those who know Him to the friends who do not know Him.
The key, I believe, is balancing the proportions of whom we spend our time with. Remember, Jesus ministered to the masses, but He spent all His time with a few close friends who believed in Him.

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