Becoming A Good Friend

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. - Proverbs 27:17

I can honestly say some of the greatest blessings I’ve received from the Lord are my friends. I am so grateful that I have people in my corner who encourage me, support me, love me, challenge me, and ultimately point me back to Christ in every situation. I’ve made it a point to pray for godly friendships over the years, and I’ve seen God answer that prayer time and time again. But one thing I’ve learned is that high-quality friendships don’t just happen by chance. To have good friends, you have to learn to be a good friend. 

Thankfully, Scripture gives us so many different truths about friendship. All you have to do is Google “bible verses about friendship,” and you’ll have a mile long list of passages to comb through. Not only can we use these verses as a benchmark for what to look for in a godly friendship, but we can also see these verses as guidelines for the type of friend we should strive to be. 

For instance, a good friend sees the value in sacrifice and understands that not everything is about them (John 15:13). A good friend shows love in the valley just as much as they do on the mountaintop (Proverbs 17:17). A good friend is encouraging when doubt and fear start to creep in (1 Thessalonians 5:11). And a good friend builds you up and makes you better rather than tearing you down and discouraging you (1 Corinthians 15:33). 

In light of these verses, I would encourage you to take the time and think about what kind of friend you are to those in your circle. Are the descriptions I just listed ones that could be applied to your friendship with others? Or are there some aspects of being a good friend you need to ask God to work on and improve in you? 

Having good friends is something we all want. But as much as we desire and seek out those kinds of friends, may we be equally as diligent at becoming a good friend to those around us.