Fear God
First and foremost, both parties must fear God.
Who so feareth the Lord shall direct his friendship aright, for as he is, so shall his neighbor be also.
ecclesiasticus / sirach 6:17 | 1611 KJVA
Prove A Friend
In our microwave society, friendship seems to be rushed. When in retrospect, we should be taking our time with those we want to consider was friends.
If thou wouldest get a friend, prove him first, and be not hasty to credit him.
ecclesiasticus / sirach 6:7
Make Each Other Better
Iron sharpeneth iron: so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
Proverbs 27:17 | 1611 kjva
Do Not Be A Lone Wolf
9) Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.
10) For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow, but woe to him that is alone, when he falleth: for he hath not another to help him up.
Ecclesiastes 4: 9-10 | 1611 kjva
Be There In Prosperity and Affliction
Oh I’ve been there before!
My house was full of family and friends when I had lots of money. I was the hostess with the mostess and everybody wanted to be around.
But when the sh*t hit the fan and I lost everything, there I was…ALONE.
All those people who were around me when I was in prosperity has disappeared.
No one checked on me. People talked about me behind my back. And I was not given the love I had offered so freely before.
That was a reality check.
10) Again some friend is a companion at thy table, and will not continue in the day of thy affliction.
12) If thou be brought low, he will be against thee, and will hide himself from thy face.
ecclesiasticus 6: 10 & 12 | 1611 KJVA
Instead of being surrounded by people who are only around when everything is good, I had to re-eavluate who I allowed to become my friend.
Thankfully, The Most High sent me a friend who is truly a treasure.
A faithful friend is a strong defense: and he that hath found such an one, hath found a treasure.
ecclesiasticus / sirach 6:14 | 1611 kjva
Watch Your Language
I’m a fairly blunt person. I like to keep is 100 and I don’t care to sugarcoat the truth.
But I learned years ago, that’s it’s not always about what you say, but how you say something. So I decided to change my speech so that my message would be received.
Sweet language will multiply friends: and a fair speaking tongue will increase kind greetings.
ecclesiasticus / sirach 6:5 | 1611 kjva
Faithful Friendship is Precious
There is nothing so precious as a faithful friend, and no scales can measure his excellence.
ecclesiasticus / sirach 6:15 | rsv
