Godly Friendships - Week 4, Day 2

Dream Team, Pt 2 (Pick the Right People)

The Dream Team of 1992 was incredible. They beat all the other teams by an average of over 40 points a game. It’s too bad you are too young to remember how awesome this team was. They passed the ball as if they already knew where their teammate would be on the court. They looked for the open shot and got the ball to the open man. Even though these were the greatest basketball players on earth, they never let their ego get the best of them. They lifted each other up, and their only goal was to get the best shot for each possession.

They were five men working in perfect harmony with each other, helping each other any way that they could.

When you look at your friendships, do the people on your dream team have your best interest at heart? Are they helping you grow to be the person that God created you to be? Are they willing to allow you to be in the spotlight and let you shine, and are you willing to let them be in the spotlight too?

Proverbs 12:26 says, “A righteous man is cautious in friendships.”
Proverbs 6:16-19 warns us of more people we need to be cautious of.

There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies, and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.

We’ve talked about a couple of those already, a man who stirs up dissension, that’s an angry man, and feet that are quick to rush into evil, so, today, let’s look at what we don’t want:

1. A prideful person to be on our dream team.

A prideful person is a guy who thinks he is all that and a box of chicken when all he really is, is a wing. This is the guy who thinks the whole world revolves around him. He’s a narcissist. All he does is talk about himself and brag about himself, what he has done, and what he has accomplished. He walks around with an air of superiority.

A few years ago, I was speaking at a function, and there was a man that I met who worked for a Christian organization. He didn’t know who I was, and I didn’t care that he didn’t know who I was, but he wanted to make sure I knew who he was. He went on and on about himself and treated me like I was less than. He talked down to me, humiliated me, and the funny thing is, I don’t think he knew how he was coming off. At least I hope he didn’t. At the end of the longest night of my life, he gave me his card and told me how our church could help his ministry out. All I could think was, you’re not going to be on my dream team.

The Bible says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

The friends that you hang around with; is everything all about them? Is it all about what they like and what they want to do, or do they genuinely care about what you want to do and what you care about? Are you stuck in the background as they stand in the spotlight?

Are you a prideful person? Do you use your friends for what they can do for you, or do you put their needs ahead of your own? Let’s go with one more type of person that should not be on our dream team.

2. A Liar

Proverbs 12:22 says, “lips that lie are disgusting to the Lord, honest people are His delight.”

Do the people you hang around with lie? Do they lie to their parents, to their teachers, to others, to you? Are you a liar? Do you fib to get out of trouble? Do you stretch the truth so you won’t have to face the consequences of what you have done?

If you hang around someone who refuses to tell you the truth, it’s just a matter of time before your heart is broken, and it is just a matter of time before you start to stretch the truth as well.

Every relationship we have with another individual must be built on a foundation of trust, and if you can’t trust what someone is saying to you, then you don’t have much of a relationship. We all need people in our lives who tell the truth, even when it hurts. Let me give you one more.

3. A false witness.

This is a little bit different from the liar. This is the person who is quick to share damaging information about another person to build themselves up and tear someone else down. Don’t put that person on your dream team, because as soon as you let your guard down, guess what, they will be gossiping about you. Love them, pray for them, serve them, invite them to church, tell them about Jesus, but don’t make them a member of your dream team.

You say, “Ok, Todd, it is pretty clear who I shouldn’t have on my dream team; who should I have?”
You should have the direct opposite.

Rather than having a close friend who has no regard for God, put on your dream team people who want to honor God. Put on your dream team people who love God with all their heart and with all their mind, with all their soul, and with all their strength.
Surround yourself with patient people and people who are humble. Surround yourself with people who will speak the truth in love to you. Surround yourself with people that care about others and who brag on your strength and cover your weaknesses and never talk behind your back.

TIME OUT

1. Last test, I promise. Let’s see how your friends measure up to what we learned today.
· Are any of your friends prideful, arrogant, and they make everything about them?
· Are they liars?
· Do they talk behind other people’s backs?

2. How about you?
· Are you prideful and arrogant? All you ever do is talk about yourself? It has to be your way or no way? Does that describe you?
· Do you lie to get out of trouble? Do you lie to your parents, your friends, and to others?
· Do you talk behind people’s backs?

3. The goal is to be the kind of friend that you always wanted to have. We read a lot today. I hope you pick the right people to be on your dream team.