Looking for some simple Bible devotions? Devotions like this are by everyday Christian writers—real people just like you! They help give us reasons why the Bible is relevant for everyday life, and how we can connect with God each day. 

What Makes a Good Friend?

Friendship is a gift. Steven’s devo reminds us about the importance of cultivating strong relationships.

Proverbs 18:24

“One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,

    but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” 

Written by Steven Wierenga

Picture your best friend. What makes them so? You probably don’t need to even think about the reasons why you became friends! It likely happened that, one day in school, at work, or at church, you struck up a conversation, and you gelled instantly. But there are certain characteristics that set them apart—that brought them to the level of best. 

By God’s grace, I have a few of these types of friends. People I’d give a house key to, give my car to, and share any and every secret with. I don’t have brothers, but if I did, they’d likely pale in comparison to the friends I’ve made.

Choose your friends wisely. You may have a lot of people you can call friends, but are they people you’d share life with? People you can entrust with anything? God made us for each other. One beautiful picture of this is marriage, but friendship is another. This is why, without them, our lives can ‘soon come to ruin.’ The people that we depend on, the people we hope will carry us or help us through trials, aren’t there. This challenge cuts both ways: are you a reliable friend?

Why It Matters

God made us for each other. Christians – human beings generally – can’t live in isolation. While we live lives on our phones, on Instagram, and are often too stuck in our heads, a good friend is there alongside to spur us toward Christlikeness… to help you when your car breaks down, to watch your dog, or to go on long walks with you. Having a good friend also means being vulnerable and often lowering emotional defenses. My prayer is that you either have good friends already, or you let a friend in. We can’t live life alone!

 Looking for more simple devotions to help you connect with God? Click here to see our stash of short Christian devotions written by everyday Christian writers.