Choose your friends carefully. Proverbs 12 26 The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray. This past Monday/September 23rd, I listed eight characteristics of a good friends. Today, I am going to do the flip side of the page and construct a biblical list of who’s not a good friend…but the way of the wicked leads (you) astray. Below are twelve characteristics of men who are not good friends.
- Proverbs 22:10, “Drive out a scoffer, and strife will go out, and quarreling and abuse will cease.” A scoffer is a person who openly dislikes and disrespects or shows mockery towards other. Stay away from a scoffer and this verse states strife, quarreling and abuse will cease!
- Proverbs 22:24, “Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man.” Proverbs 15:18 states, A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention. Ezekiel 25:17 declares, “I will execute great vengeance on them with wrathful rebukes.” Do not hang out with angry, wrathful men. They lead to trouble.
- Proverbs 18:24 makes an amazing statement, “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Don’t make the mistake counting companions as good friends. Don’t count someone you hang out periodically a friend. A friend is someone who you know through experience will be with you through “thick and thin.” A companion is not vested in you or you in him. A friend has your interest at heart.
- Proverbs 16:28, “A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer (gossiper) separates close friends.” Don’t count on a dishonest man or a gossip. You will get hurt if you do.
- Ephesians 4:25 “Put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.” If you associate with someone who is a liar, he is not a good friend. Trust is the basis of friendship. A liar cannot be trusted.
- Romans 16:18, “For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.” Proverbs 27:6 “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.” If the depth of your relationship is not straightforward and candid, this person is not a good friend.
- Hebrews 12:15, “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no ‘root of bitterness’ springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled.” Bitterness leads to trouble, defiling many…be careful.
- James 3:16, “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.” Jealous and selfish folks are not good friends.
Hey guys, I have attempted to glean from the Bible characteristics that will protect you from unhealthy relationships. We men need good friends…men that we can be open and honest with. Hopefully and prayerfully, the list provided on Monday/September 23 and today will guide you and protect you and encourage you. My prayer is the blessings of friendship with a few good, Godly men.
Barnabas Man 