ChosenRebel's Blog

I was in Proverbs today and thinking of men I know who are looking for work and the difference it has made to have a friend that they can confide in and trust in the sometimes difficult process of finding the next job. And then I thought of a book published a number of years ago with the title, THE FRIENDLESS AMERICAN MALE (David W. Smith, 1983) and that seems just as relevant today. 

Here’s the verse that stimulated my thinking, Proverbs 17:17, with a brief commentary.

¹⁷ A friend loves at all times,
     and a brother is born for adversity.

Tough times and tough people don’t always travel together. Often the tough times come when we are weakest. That’s when a biblically-defined friend is most needed.

A biblical friend is a friend who knows the tune of your heart and is able to sing it when you have forgotten the melody. A biblical friend is born, created by a loving God, for times like a disintegrating marriage, or rebellious children, or a difficult season of ministry, or an unexpected job loss and a difficult job search. They stand with you and remind you of their and God’s love and assure you that neither is going to change.

Remember:

God placed this verse in the Bible for a reason. He wanted you to know that you need a friend in the hard times of life. God knows your need better than you do.

Plan:

I am going to speak with one of my best friends and ask them to pray for me on a daily basis until the issue I am burdened by is resolved. I will do it before this time next week.

Another resource by the same author:

Men Without Friends: A Guide to Developing Lasting Relationships