Test of a True Friend
Have You Ever Wondered How You Can Tell a True Friend?
18:14 And when Moses' father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even?
18:17 And Moses' father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.
Have you ever wondered how you can tell a true friend, from one who is not? Moses' father in law was a true friend of Moses. He saw that Moses was overwhelmed in his work and would eventually collapse in a heap of exhaustion. So Moses' Father in law told Moses the truth.
Now let me say just because you tell someone the truth is not necessary the sign of a true friend. There are motives and approaches to consider. Antisthenes, the cynic philosopher, used to say, "There are two people who will tell you the truth about yourself, an enemy who has lost his temper and a friend who loves you dearly."
Let us look at the enemy who has lost his temper. We have a bad habit when we get angry with someone to spout off hateful hurtful things to people. We have wrong motives when we do this. Even if what we say is the truth, if the motive is wrong it is better not to say it in the heat of the moment. If we really care about someone we will first go to our knees and ask GOD's guidance and wisdom on what we believe we need to tell a person. Bringing up a persons past is not the right thing to do. We must only deal with the present and give the future to GOD.
I have been told many things both true and out right lies. I have noticed the one thing about me, that when a friend comes to me in love, with the right motive and the right approach, and tells me the truth about something I do not want to deal with, I accept it. Yes, don't get me wrong, at first I may fly off the handle get mad at my friend. What kind of friend are you to tell me something like that. HOW DARE YOU! Then I calm down and start thinking and praying and that is when I realize, WOW, what a true friend and I go to that friend, ask forgiveness and thank him for telling me the truth. The truth hurts a lot of the time but must be the approach. However truth without love and compassion, can cause irreparable damage.
PROVERBS:
27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
I really believe that many people use this as a way to get at people and say, I am just telling the truth. The truth hurts. Well if that is all you are telling them the truth for, than you might as well beat them with a club.
People strut up and down like the pharisees of old spitting out venom they call the truth, when in fact, it is only what they call the truth and not true at all. Watch out for these people. They are out to prove themselves right and everyone else wrong. Anyone that gets in their way they set out to destroy utterly.
When a true friend comes to you in love and concern, and you know it to be the truth, no matter how much it hurts, listen to that friend. Go to that friend and thank that friend for telling you the truth.
Published by Animal
writer View profile
True FriendDo you have a true friend? Are you one?- Being a True Friend: What it Does Not MeanMany of the things we believe being a true friend entails can actually damage our friendships and ourselves in the long run...What are these things and why are they harmful to our friendships? You'll find the answers...
- A True FriendA true friend is hard to find and rarely ever found...
- Good and Bad Things About the InternetThe internet has bad things on it, but I think overall it is a powerful force for Good.
- Fighting for the Truth-Even If it HurtsHow many times has one heard, "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything."? It's hard to voice an opinion knowing when you are in the minority.
- What Makes a True Friend?
- 9/11 Truth Manifesto
- Dr. John Hagee Tells it like it Is! A Modern Day Prophet Who Tells Us the Truth .....
- Prop. 8: The Truth Hurts
- Is it Harder to Hear the Truth or Tell the Truth
- A True Friend
- A True Friend !!
- Just because you tell someone the truth is not necessary the sign of a true friend.
- We must only deal with the present and give the future to GOD.
- The truth hurts a lot of the time but must be the approach.
3 Comments
Post a CommentHi Kc! I'm sorry to hear about what's happening with your friend. You must really miss being friends with her. I was thinking, you might try asking her if she would be willing to sit down with you sometime and really clear the air on everything you've been thinking over the past few years. If that doesn't work and she still seems to give you the cold shoulder, you might consider just moving on from the friendship. Do you have other friends? If not, you might be better off finding new friends and work on those new ( or existing) friendships. I know that might be hard to think about, but how much longer are you willing to try to mend things with this friend? There could be other people out there just waiting to find friends and you could be one of them. Making new friends could be fun! I'll be praying for you! I hope this helps some.
If you have made every effort to mend your friendship my advice is to let that person go. Forgive them. Ask them for forgiveness if you can, and then leave it up to them to respond. A true friend will sooner or later come back. If and when they do accept them with open arms. My own youngest son has turned against me. I asked his forgiveness. He did not forgive me. I forgave him but I do not talk to him. If and when he calls me to make ammends I will be waiting with open arms for my prodigal son to return to me.
I have a friend whose been upset with me since 4th grade, we're in 8th grade now. I don't understand what I did, I mean I've tried to talk to her about it but somehow I get the feeling like her answers are fake. She said I lied to her and other things, but I don't believe I did. And now we don't talk as much or call each other very often. We have another friend in the middle of it, and she told my friend that I didn't like her anymore, and then my friend hasn't really talked to me since. I thought our friendship was broekn off, so I left it that way. But just a few minutes ago I called her and I got voicemail, then I called her with my cellphone (unknown number to her) and someone from her family called the cell phone number back, but the one my friend knows about hasn't got an answer back. What should I do?