What About Your Friends?

I was reading the Bible (Romans 12: 9-21).

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. ¹⁰ Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. ¹¹ Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. ¹² Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ¹³ Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
 ¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. ¹⁶ Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
 ¹⁷ Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. ¹⁸ If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. ¹⁹ Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. ²⁰ On the contrary:
   “If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
   if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
 ²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

I have found it to be true over the years that there are some topics, some areas of concern that serve as a test. Finances, job, etc. to see how we will behave and if we will stay true to how we are supposed to behave according to the Bible.

But there is one topic that I have found that can be a test where you wouldn't expect it. Friends. Like the old Whodini song says, "how many of us have them?". I would venture to say that we have fewer than we think we do. We say oh those are my best friends with an s. My friend at school, at work, at church. Then there are the 5, 264 Facebook friends we have half of which we couldn't explain how we even know them (if we know them). But that's not who I'm talking about today.

Your "friends" can be your worse enemies. We have to be careful who we surround ourselves with. Trying to live right means that you need to try to surround yourself with those who try to do right and who will help you in your journey. Be aware of those friends who encourage and/or passify your negative behavior.

Then there are the fall outs. If someone was truly your friend and you fall out there should be a certain level of underlying respect where you can just go your seperate ways without there being but so much drama. But if one party doesn't do that, the drama can suck you in. We have to be careful of that.