Proverbs 18:24 KJV

Proverbs 18:24  KJV

The proverb teaches that if there are unreliable friends, there soon will come ruin, but, that "there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother".  We normally think of blood being thicker than water, however, there are ways that a friend can be more faithful than a brother.  Reality is that a person with many friends may still run into problems.  A large number of friends does not mean you will have help readily available when you need them.  In this era of social media promotion,  many superficial connections who are called "friends", but there are few true friends.  Some we will never meet.  And, even the most connected and well known can find themselves lonely.

 

Solomon recommends friendship to us, and shows that we must show ourselves friendly.  We must not quarrel with them, but, we must love them, and make it appear that we do so by all endearing, pleasing to them,  visiting them, bidding them welcome, and especially by doing all the good offices we can and serving them in every thing that lies in our power; that is showing ourselves friendly. 

 

Contrasting to the first part of the proverb is the second line that tells us, There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."  In the Proverbs the concept of friendship is very strong.  A true genuine friend is someone who sticks closer than a brother, in other words, he or she will be there for you even more so than a family member.  A friend who sticks  closer than a brother is a trustworthy friend, indeed.

 

Scripture tells us that Jesus Christ was known as a friend of sinners.  The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners! ( Luke 7:34)  Jesus Christ has also promised us  "for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee (Hebrews 13:5).  Jesus Christ is absolutely the true Friend who sticks closer than a brother, and blessed are those who have Him as their Friend.  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13).