Who we pick as friends can influence us in powerful ways, for better or worse. If you choose friends who have high standards and will not lower those standards, they can be a force for good, motivating you to keep your standards high as well. But if they don't have a place they want to go or if they do and it's a bad place, then most likely you will end up leading a life of misery and despair until you change your friends and lifestyle.
And then there are friends that are really nice and friendly, but when any trouble comes, or they get bored of you, they go away. These are alright to have, but do you really want everybody you associate with to be like that? With them, you won't be sure if they like you because they genuinely find you awesome, or because nobody else will be their friend, or because you have something they want.
In Timon of Athens by Shakespeare, Timon is a really rich person, and he gives stuff away all the time. He throws parties, and everybody comes to them. But when he has financial troubles, all of his friends go away. Only his steward is still faithful.
And there are friends who are there for you no matter what, who live righteously, and who are real rather than putting on a false front for you. These are the people who you want to have with you through your whole life, to cherish.
So choose your friends wisely, be a good friend, and love everybody.
I have frequently found that my "true" friends came from unexpected places and showed up in unexpected times. Heavenly Father opens the door of opportunity in unusual ways. I loved this entry. you have put some real thought into this subject...
ReplyDeleteI can attest to this. I've had a lot of friends throughout my life. The one's that weren't that great really did bring me down. And the one's that were just there for their own reasons brought me down as well and exhausted me. I'm grateful for friends who I can count on and who are there for me no matter what.
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