A Friend Who Sticks Close

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” — Proverbs 17:17

Proverbs has some wise things to say about friends.

“A friend loves at all times,” says Proverbs, “and a brother is born for times of trouble.”

A real friend doesn’t only love you when everything is fun. A real friend loves you “at all times”: when you’re happy and when you’re sad, when you’re winning and when you’re losing, when you’re popular and when you’re not.

And “a brother is born for times of trouble.” That means that true friends and family stick by you when things go wrong. That’s what they’re there for.

Do you remember David and Jonathan, in the third book? Jonathan was a true friend. He loved David even when it cost him a lot, even when his own father was trying to kill David. That’s a friend who “loves at all times”.

Here’s another proverb about friends: “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24).

Some people try to have lots and lots of companions, but none of them are real friends who will stay by them. It’s better to have a few true friends than lots of people who don’t really care about you. And sometimes a really good friend can be even closer than a brother or sister.

Proverbs also tells us to choose our friends wisely. “He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed” (Proverbs 13:20). The friends we spend time with change us, for better or for worse.

Imagine a girl called Grace who has just started at a new school. Some children want to be friends with her, but they’re unkind to other children. Another girl, Priya, is quieter, but she’s kind to everyone. Proverbs would say: choose Priya! Good friends help us become better people.

But the best thing about this proverb is that it reminds us of the very best friend of all. Jesus called His followers His friends (John 15:15). He is the friend who loves at all times, who never leaves us, who sticks closer than a brother. He even laid down His life for His friends.

Read it in your Bible: Proverbs 17:17; 18:24; 13:20

Dear Jesus, thank you that you are my friend who loves at all times and sticks closer than a brother. Please help me to be a good friend, and to choose good friends. Amen.