Proverbs 12:26
The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

God loves us so much that He gives us free will.   We can make wonderful choices or some pretty rotten choices that have negative consequences.  I often wished we didn’t have free will and we were just born loving Him and walking down the right path.  But alas, He wants His children to desire Him with their own free will and to obey Him with their will as well.

When I saw this picture of two of my hens walking, I thought they looked like friends traveling together.

Do you have good friends?

I remember when I graduated high school and started my first job there were a couple of older girls who would practically bully me to go to lunch with them.    It is amazing how different I am now, but then I was timid and didn’t stand up for myself.   I didn’t choose them for friends, but they had chosen me.    I finally connected with some much sweeter people there and they left me alone.

Birds of a feather flock together …

My closest heart-friends have walked through life with me and have similar passions and desires.    I have a lot of people I consider friends, but I mean that inner circle that knows my true heart.

God has always provided the friends I needed in each season of my life.  Growing up, I had a dear friend who lived behind me nicknamed Fee Fee.   As I got older, Brenda, Angie, and Ellen were my playmates.  Then came Tabatha around 5th or 6th grade.   Amanda was thrown in the mix at some point, then Pam, Tammy, and Dawn.    After I married God brought me wonderful women to do life with.   They helped mold me into who I am today and hopefully I helped them as well.

Proverbs 27:17
As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

Take my hand my sister,
I wish to help you along.
Just knowing there are two of us
can help to make you strong.

I know life seems unfair,
and sometimes gets you down,
But know that I am here for you,
I’ll always be around.

So set a day aside,
and together we will walk,
Down all your troubled pathways,
for it helps sometimes to talk.

If you should need some time
to do this on your own,
Then I will be here waiting,
since you wish to be alone.

I guess I want to say,
that I hold your friendship dear.
And if you ever need me,
just reach out, cause I am here.
–Author Unknown

We should hold our friends close to our hearts and choose them wisely.   It is wise to surround our hearts with people who will encourage us and point us in the right direction — towards God.

Proverbs 18:24
One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

And in case you don’t know who that friend is … His Name is Jesus.   Even the best of friends are human and any human can cause pain, but not Jesus.  He will never leave You and He can understand everything you’re going through.

How do we grow bonds of friendship?  We spend time with people and do life with them.

How do we get to know Jesus better?  We spend time with Him and do life with Him.   We read God’s Word and nurture that relationship.

Where would we be without our friends and especially Jesus?

Thanks for visiting me today!  I hope this post makes you think about your own friendships.  If you have some unhealthy friendships in your life — people who pull you down and into things that don’t glorify God — you have the choice to walk away.  Love them, but don’t yoke yourself with them.

“A good friend will help you to discover the potentials you haven’t uncovered. A bad friend will help you to cover up the potentials you have already recovered.  Make your choice!” ~Israelmore Ayivor

“If you choose bad companions, no one will believe that you are anything but bad yourself.” ~Aesop

I am linking with several ladies today.   First is Beth at Simply Beth for her Three Word Wednesday. Please click on her button below:

Next is Jen at Rich Faith Rising for her Unite the Bloggersphere Party. Please click on her button below:

Last, but not least – I am linking with Jennifer for #TellHisStory. Join along by clicking on her button below:

Have a super blessed Wednesday everyone!   Remember to choose your friends wisely.