The Bible Edge
Everyone needs an Edge, Believers can have the Bible Edge
Proverbs 22:24
Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:
Someone once said, “Be not the fourth friend of one who has lost three.” Meaning, among other things, we have the ability to choose our friends. Friends are powerful influences in life. The Bible states clearly that making friends with a person who is perpetually angry, even furious, is to be avoided. Now it is undebatable that from time to time everyone gets angry, but there are those who are always angry. Angry at everything and everybody. That is the type of person today’s verse means.
Whether we like to admit it or not; our friends mold us into their image. This cannot be fully explained in simple terms but more likely than not, your friends have more of an influence over you than you do over them. Those who study such things know this to be true. Many pastors have said something like this: “Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future.” The amount of impact that friends have is immense. Sometimes as two individuals grow, they diverge on separate paths. This will try the friendship. For one will ultimately separate from the other. For even Amos, the prophet of old, knew enough about friendship to ask this question: Can two walk together, except they be agreed? (Amos 3:3) The answer to this rhetorical question is “no”. For two to walk together through life as friends they must agree. If they don’t, a separation will take place. They may still be friendly, but not so to the point of influence.
The point is, there is a choice involved in making friends. Consider Absalom, King David’s son. He desired to overthrow his father and become king. To this end he pretended to be a friend to all the men of Israel. Through his flatteries he …stole the hearts of the men of Israel (II Samuel 15:6). This caused great problems in the nation to the point that David had to flee for his life. The men of Israel chose poorly. So too do many today. They choose their friends poorly.
Since God evidently has given the freedom to choose friends, choose wisely. In choosing though, remember that the old adage is true. “Friends of a feather flock together.” If you want to know who you are, take a long discerning look at your friends. Not acquaintances, but friends.
The Bible Edge for today is to choose your friends wisely.
William Howe, Ph.D.
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