As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart (Proverb 27:19)
I have a lot of friends and I believe all of you too. But have we ever thought what kind of friends are they? Did we really know their characters? Friends are great treasure for us. They can give incredible influence that can change our personal lives. When I was in high school, I had a best friend named Kimiko (Several times I’ve mentioned her name in my post). kimiko gave me an incredible influence and be able to change my very bad and annoying character. When another friend began to stay away and hate me, she was always faithful to accompanied me. Slowly but sure she is trying to change me to become a good girl with a better character. That is the best friend.
In befriended I always assess them and trying to figure out their character. After I recognize it, then I can decide how I should behave to them. And I will choose which one can be best friends, and which ones are just as ordinary friends.
There are some characters that I can get from them and we can learn something valuable from it. There is a friend who has a tough character. From friends like these we can learn to be brave and assertive. We can learn how we brave to struggling to reach our dreams. That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe. (I Timothy 4:10)
There was a gentle friend. They are teaching us to appreciate and loving each other. We also have an indifferent friend. Verily they make us think how we caring to others. “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.(Hebrew 10:24-25)
We also find a friend who cannot be trusted. What we can get from them? We can learn to keep our mouth and tongue so that every single word that we say is always trustable. We can imagine and feel what it’s like being lied. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. (Proverb 18:21)
Another character is, there was a wicked friend. They are always take advantages of other people for his own benefit. In fact they are the people who make us think and learn how to doing goodness and be kindness to others, but keep cautious. Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you.” (Mark 13:5)
There was a selfish and arrogant friend who always talks about their self, undeniable, always be a superior and always look down to others. Dear friends, we can learn from them to being humble and always remember everything that we do, not come from our strength but from God’s strength. Also remind us that we are a weak person but be strong in God. “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you”. (1Peter 5:6-7)
That is types of friend’s character. God introduced them to us to be wiser to address our life and can take the wisdom and benefits from them. Well my dear friends, as water reflects our face, so friends that we choose will reflect their character too. We are very happy having a lot of friends. We can learn many things from them. But the truly good friend is who can give a positive influence to us and may complement each other. As Proverb says: “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity” (Proverb 17:17)
Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.(Proverb 13:20)
Karina
Photo credit: http://www.vantagepoint3.org
Karina's Thought 