The Bible highlights why friends are significant and the need for godly friends. We previously considered the friendship of David and Jonathan, which spurred a covenant that even death couldn't destroy. We looked at the relationship between Jesus and His disciples and learned that godly friendships mean sharing wisdom and genuinely caring for a companion's interests.
Then, we also examined ungodly friendships and learned that such relationships result in failure and great loss. Examining these relationships taught us that we should pray for godly friends and be godly friends to those the Lord places in our lives.
Nowhere are these lessons more glaring than in the story of Job and his friends. The Bible recounts Job as God's servant more than once. He was described as blameless, upstanding, God-fearing, and a man who shunned evil (Job 1:8). When his friends heard he'd lost all his children and possessions, three of them visited him. Like Job, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar also believed in God. However, an act intended to comfort Job ended up being a series of condemnations.
This happened because they could not understand why Job would claim to be sinless in light of his situation. The more he insisted he was blameless, the more they maintained he must have been the most sinful. Their failure to understand that God could indeed allow His servant to suffer and a desire to counter Job's narrative caused them to speak untruthfully about Him. God later told Eliphaz that this made Him angry. He nevertheless instructed him and his friends to let Job pray for them so they would receive His mercy.
And therein lies a lesson about godly friendships. Yes, godly friends are to comfort one another. They should also be careful not to condemn. The word teaches us in Matthew 7:1 - Do not judge, or you too will be judged. It is easy to forget this in the face of people displaying pride, especially nowadays when hubris is the order of the day. However, the role of godly friends is to pour out God's love and not pour out their pettiness.
And if a godly friend receives guidance from the Holy Spirit that indeed their companion and fellow believer has sinned against God, or they have clear evidence of this based on God's word, then how they express that wisdom is important. A God-fearing person must remember 2 Timothy 2:24 - And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. If, after taking this approach, the friend remains stiff-necked, then the godly friend has every right to walk away (1 Corinthians 5:11; 2 Thessalonians 3:6; 2 Thessalonians 3:14; Romans 16:17). Arguing back and forth is not the godly solution. Proverbs 20:3 - Any fool can start arguments; the honorable thing is to stay out of them.
Job's story also reveals that godly friends can and should play a role in the deliverance of their companions. Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar forgot the reason they came to see Job. It seems they equally forgot that they'd been so horrified when they initially saw the state he was in that they'd sat in silence for seven whole days.
Once they realized Job was convinced of his innocence, they should have allowed God to be the judge instead of trying to humble him. It would have been better to pray with and for him to be delivered from his affliction. Notice God used Job to pray for them so that they would receive His mercy. That is because godly friends are to be a person's prayer support team and intercede on their behalf, not sit in judgment. Indeed, believers are not to war alone.
In our relationships, we must remember what Jesus taught us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:39). This commandment applies to our friends. As those who profess our belief in the Lord and His Son, Jesus, we should be led by His word in how we interact with our friends. May the Lord help us all to be godly friends and to be surrounded by godly friends, IJMN. Amen. See you at Noon EST for fellowship when we will worship God and be godly friends to those whom we will pray for.
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From M22 - God bless you all Fam! Till Friday!!