The godly give good advice to their friends; the wicked lead them astray.

Proverbs 12:26

If you are like me, you have some close friends who you can lean on, trust and expect to give you good advice. On occasion you meet new people and friendships develop. But how do you know if it’s the right friend for you? Several considerations…..

Do they offer sound advice? The advice they give should fall in line with your beliefs and not try to sway your way of thinking counter to what you believe and know is right. A good friend might challenge you to “think outside the box”, but never through intimidation or threaten to end your friendship.

How forgiving are they? People are different and from time to time we will offend others…especially our friends. Their willingness to forgive and forget, when you hurt or offend them, is the strength of the friendship bond. No one wants to hurt our friends, but it can happen. When it does, you want to make sure there is enough grace to hold the two of you together.

Do they respect you? Respect is the backbone of any relationship. Without respect, you have no true foundation on which to grow together. Respect is understanding where each other stands and supporting them without question. When one friend veers off the “right path”, the other should feel welcome to help them get back on track.

Do they make you a better person? You should NEVER have to convince your friend you are a good person or work at sustaining the friendship. If it’s meant to be, it will naturally happen. Over time, the fruits of the friendship will yield positive growth and bless those outside your friendship….called blessing spillover.

Friend, nothing wrong will result in good. With God’s help you can find friendships that are built on Godly principles…like trust, grace and love. Find a Godly friend and find peace and happiness in your life! God bless!