Friendship is Not for the Weak

Proverbs 20:6Many will say they are loyal friends, but who can find one who is truly reliable?

Do you have a lot of friends? Some people claim to have hundreds of friends, some even thousands. I just looked on my Facebook page (yes, I still have Facebook) and it says I have 2,325 friends. I am here to tell you that I don't have that many friends. I might know that many people, but many are acquaintances, not true friends.

If you are receiving this devotion today however, I consider you a friend. A loyal friend in fact and I thank God for you daily. Many of you are young, much younger than I, but who says old people can't be friends with young people and vice versa? I learn a great deal from you all. In recent weeks I have learned what "swag" is, I have been introduced to Snap Chat (preacherfig if you want to add me), I have learned I have a "strong selfie game," but more importantly I have a revived hope in your generation. You all have given me a great deal of confidence that our world is not as bad as some want to think. Thank you for being my friend.

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A friend is a treasure. True friends can tell each other things no other can. Solomon says in Proverbs 12:26 "The godly give good advice to their friends; the wicked lead them astray." Be a godly friend. Your true friends deserve that.

Here is my challenge for the day. There is no school so you have plenty of time. I want you to text, snap, email, DM, IM, however you wish and tell some of your closest friends you are thankful for them and why. Don't take friendship for granted. The best way to keep a friend is to be a friend who shows appreciation. I have learned over the past few months how important friends are. Most of you I have really only gotten to know or really gotten closer to since August. On August 8th I made a decision to help as many young people as possible and to be their friend. I know to some it is weird to have an old codger like me want to be friends with young folk like you. But God has given me the ability to relate to you in a way some adults just can't. I have had friends in their teens since I was a teen. Being a camp dean I have hundreds of friends your age. I don't see it as weird, I see it as a blessing. As a matter of fact, my best friend in the whole world is your age. Weird? Not to us. It's a blessing from God.

Remember the challenge for the day! Tell your friends you care and why. I will be doing that later today myself. Expect a text.

I love you all dear friends, God bless and have a great day off from school and be careful in the snow.