Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Trust”
Our Bible verse for today: “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a difficult time.” Proverbs 17:17 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “Can your friends trust in you?”
Not long ago a friend took a courageous stand on my behalf which I deeply appreciated. Without going into the messy details, there was a problem brewing behind the scenes in a situation where I was in a position of leadership. A disgruntled individual was at work stirring up strife and sowing seeds of dissension, and I was unaware of it. If left unchecked, it had the potential to create big problems for me and for others.
My friend made attempts to address the situation on my behalf by confronting the individual, but to no avail. So she came to me and told me what was going on. I was then able to get involved and deal with the situation before it created too much more damage. My friend did that knowing that it would quickly become obvious to the disruptive individual who it was that had exposed the situation – and that had the potential to involve my friend in conflict. But she came and told me anyway.
My friend had my back and I’m grateful for it.
Can your friends trust you to look out for them and to take action on their behalf, even when doing so could be hard, or even risky? That’s what friends do for each other.
In Proverbs 17:17 Solomon writes that a friend loves at all times. Obviously that means that a friend is faithful and trustworthy when times are good and things are easy, but the Proverb goes on to say that it especially means that a friend can be counted on when times are not good and things are not easy.
It means that as a friend you will be there for the other person when being there costs you something. I’m talking about 2:00 AM in the Emergency Room; or making a car payment for them when they’re unemployed; or standing over the grave and weeping with them when a loved one has died; or taking a courageous stand for them when doing so could mean conflict.
Are you a good and trustworthy friend? Do your friends know that you have their back? I encourage you to be the kind of friend that you would like others to be for you.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 