40 Days to Lasting Change Day 6
Words of a Friend
Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses. Proverbs 27:6
We need a friend whom we’ve given permission to tell us like it is—no matter what. Even if we refuse to listen at first, we all need a friend who will tell us when we’re neglecting our family for work. A friend who will say something when our spending gets out of control. A friend who will challenge us to do more than just come to church a few weekends a month. A friend who will question a new relationship we’re beginning. Words from a friend like that can often be the most effective alarms in our lives. The Prodigal Son needed a friend like this, but in the Distant Country, I’m sure they were hard to find. (Idleman, Kyle. 40 Days to Lasting Change: An AHA Challenge (pp. 53-54). David C. Cook. Kindle Edition.)
I’m thankful today for friends who will speak the truth in love to me. A good friend is one of God’s most precious gifts to us. But a good friend operates in the truth and so a good friend is someone who has a spiritual backbone, truth convictions that they try to live by. Good friends don’t usually fall out of the sky, they are foraged over time and through thought. I’ve found that this happens by spending time with people like I spend time at a store looking for a good suit. When we find the right relationship, it fits. By the way, finding such a friend has meant becoming someone who can be a friend too!
From the Kitchen Table 