BFFs (The Power of Influence)
Every one of our friends influences our life. The Bible teaches that we become like the people that we hang around with.
1 Corinthians 15:33 says, "Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character. Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame."Proverbs 13:20 puts it this way. "He who walks with wise men will become wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm."
What is the principle? We become like the friends that we have. We pick up on their strengths and their weaknesses.
We talk like our friends; we share the same interests as our friends, we have the same taste as our friends. Our friends influence us. If we want to know a good restaurant to eat at, we ask a friend. If we want to know where they got their haircut or where they bought that cute outfit, we ask a friend. If we are looking for a new TV show, we ask a friend. If we want to know if a movie is good, we ask a friend. Do you see a pattern?
Our friends can influence us for good or for bad. That's why Proverbs says, "A righteous man is cautious in friendships." Proverbs 12:26
Proverbs says to be cautious about who you let into your inner circle. Be careful about who you let your guard down to and trust because that person might lead you to a place you don't want to be.
Today we are going to look at a friendship that all of us want. The friendship we are going to look at today was between David and Jonathon. Let me give you a little background on these guys.
David was a shepherd boy who watched over his father's flock and protected them from lions and tigers and bears, oh my. Jonathon was the son of the King of Israel. He was next in line to take the throne of Israel after his father, Saul.
At first glance, it appears these two don't have much in common. What does a poor shepherd boy have in common with a king's son? Yet their paths crossed, and they became best friends. David was hired by Jonathon's dad, Saul, to play music for him, so David and Jonathon spent a lot of time together.
The scripture also indicates that both of these young men were very courageous. Jonathon was a mighty warrior, and you probably already know the story of David and Goliath.
If you are looking to have a friendship like Jonathon and David, then you need to ask God to bring someone into your life who shares a common spirit with you. These two young men fed off of each other and found strength and courage in each other. They spent time together, and not only that, they had an uncompromising love for God. They each wanted what God wanted for their lives more than what they wanted for their lives.
You or I can do nothing more powerful with a friend than to pray for that friend and pray with that friend. Knowing the other person loves God and is seeking Him gives you the confidence to listen to their advice, knowing that it comes from a place of love and wisdom.
When two people spend time with each other, they share the same courage and convictions, and when you put God in the center of that, it is a recipe for an amazing friendship.
· Do you have a friend like this in your life?
· Someone who challenges you to grow spiritually?
· Someone who puts your needs ahead of their own?
· Do you have someone who keeps their promises even though it is difficult to do?
· Do you have someone willing to sacrifice all they have just to be your friend?
Maybe the question we should be asking is, "are you that kind of a friend to someone else?"When you look at the friendship that you offer others, what would be one area of that friendship that needs to be strengthened? I want you to write that down and make a commitment this next week that with God's help, you will start to become the friend you always wanted to have.
1. After hearing the story of David and Jonathan, what things do you look for in a great friend? Let me give you a few.
· Someone who challenges me spiritually.· Someone who listens to me.· Someone who cares about me and puts my needs ahead of their own. · Someone who keeps their promises.· Someone who has my back.· Someone who hurts when I hurt.· Someone who understands my feelings.
Okay, that was more than a few. I just got going, and I couldn't stop. Circle the ones above that you want most in a friend.
2. Now I want you to do something that might be tough. I want you to look at each characteristic that I wrote, and I want you to ask yourself a question. Is that the kind of friend I am to others? Ready?
· Do I challenge my friends spiritually? · Do I listen to them? · Do I care about them and put their needs ahead of my own? · Do I keep my promises?· Do I have their back?· Do I hurt when they hurt? · Do I understand their feelings?
3. A very wise person said if you want to have great friends, you need to be a great friend. What one area of friendship you offer to others could improve?
4. David and Jonathan's greatest bond was their love for God. How can we develop our friendships to be more centered on the most essential thing in our life, our relationship with Jesus?
Here are some more helpful hints. (We can pray together, read the Bible together, go to church together, talk about spiritual things together, hold each other accountable.)
5. Let's look at this story one more time. Turn to 1 Samuel 19, and let's look at what makes a great best friend one more time. Read the verse and then write down what friendship qualities these two guys have.
· 1 Samuel 19:4· 1 Samuel 20:1-2· 1 Samuel 20:4· 1 Samuel 20:19· 1 Samuel 20:34· 1 Samuel 20:41· 1 Samuel 20:42
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