What Kind of Friend Are You?

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend.”  John 15:13

What kind of friend are you?

There is no doubt in my mind that Jesus is the best friend than any human being could ever have.  He laid down his own life for each of us, and became the perfect sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins.  I Peter 2:24.  When we turn from our sins, place our faith in Christ and receive Him into our heart and life, we are saved!  Ephesians 2:8,9.  Once we are saved, what kind of a friend are we to others in and around our life?

What does it mean to be a real friend to someone else?  Most of us have friends and we are a friend to someone.  But what kind of a friend are we?  Can our friends really depend upon us when they are in need of a really true Christian friend?

The following are characteristics that are found in the life of a true Christian friend.

  1. A really true friend is loving.  Proverbs 17:17, “A friend loveth at all times,” in good times, in bad times – practicing daily kindness and understanding.
  2. A really true friend is loyal.  Proverbs 27:6, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend,” When you are loyal you stand with your friends, you also stand up for your friends and pray for your friends.
  3. A really true friend is friendly.  Proverbs 18:24, “A man that hath friends must show himself friendly.” This does mean that are we friendly only to a select group, but rather we are friendly to everyone we come in contact with.  We will never lack for friends when we are friendly.
  4. A really true friend is caring.  I Corinthians 12:25, “That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.”

By God’s grace let us strive to be this kind of friend and allow the Lord to use us to be a godly influence on others.