Marriage from A to Z

“A Genuine Friend”

     What kind of friend are you?  The word friend is defined as a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.  To be genuine is to be real, authentic and not counterfeit.  Proverbs 17:17 says a friend loves at ALL times. This means that a true friend loves when things are good or bad.  It kind of reminds me of  the marriage vows where we said for better or worse, richer or poorer in sickness or in health as long as we both shall live.   Are you a genuine friend?  Are you a genuine friend to your spouse?  Some people are good friends to everyone except the person they said I do to.  In other words they will stick real close to their girl friend or guy friend but when it comes to sticking to their husband or wife, they are out.  

     The greatest evidence of genuine friendship is LOYALTY.  Loyalty is loving at ALL times and being faithful.  As a genuine friend we should be available to help in times of distress, personal struggle or any challenging situation.  There are enough fair weather friends in the world.  Any one can leave when the going gets tough but can you stand?  Can you stick around through the thick and the thin.  Trouble don’t last always.  Fair weather friends leave when they are not getting anything out of the relationship.  This week I want to encourage you to be a genuine friend.

     The Bible encourages us to be a true friend.  Do a self check, are you a loyal, genuine friend or are you a fair weather friend?  Read I Corin. 13:7 “Love bears all things, hopes all things and endures all things.”  Now replace the word love with friend.  Friends bear ALL things, hopes ALL things and endure ALL things.  

     With God’s help, we can be a “Genuine Friend.”

Until next week . . .

Carolyn