July 17 - Faithful Friends.

Proverbs 28:23
“He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue.”
 
Would you rather someone compliment you or tell you the Truth?
A compliment is temporal, whereas redirecting our focus back to what the Word of God says can pay eternal dividends.  
 
Ecclesiastes 7:5
“It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.”
 
Friends that are wiling to rebuke us are few and far between.
The Truth may hurt at first, but we will find it much more needful than temporarily being flattered.
 
Proverbs 9:8-9
“Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.”
 
Faithful friends are willing to speak the Truth rather than condone or encourage our wrongdoing.
 
Proverbs 27:5-6
“Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.”
 
The best way to find faithful friends is to be one.
Although it can be hard to reprove someone for fear of how they will react, God can use us for His glory and the good of our friends when we follow His leading to rebuke in love.
 
Galatians 4:16
“Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?”
 
Resist the urge to flatter your friends and instead seek to faithfully and lovingly remind them of what the Word of God has to say.
 
 
Bible Reading:
2 Chronicles 29-30  |  2 Timothy 2  |  Proverbs 17