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Everyday Faith 6 steps · about 5 min

True Friendship

On the people who stay.

Friendship is older than scripture and treasured all through it.

The big idea

You become like the people closest to you. Choose carefully.

What does “True Friendship” walk through?

1

Iron Sharpens Iron

Proverbs 27:17 · KJV

Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

In plain English

Real friends sharpen each other — they make each other stronger, sharper, more themselves.

2

Borrowed Backbones

On your worst day, a real friend is a borrowed backbone. They believe for you when you can't. They tell you the truth when you've lost it. You can't manufacture this — you can only invest in it slowly, over time.

3

Loves at All Times

Proverbs 17:17 · KJV

A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

In plain English

A real friend keeps loving when it's not convenient. The hard times prove who's actually there.

“Show me your five closest friends and I'll show you your future.”

4

The Slow Investment

Real friendship is built in the boring middle: showing up to the unimportant thing. Texting back. Remembering the date. There's no shortcut. The compound interest is enormous.

Pray

Lord, give me a few people who tell me the truth. And help me be that for someone else.

Write it down

Who's been a true friend to you? When's the last time you told them?

You finished: True Friendship

Friendship is a craft. Practice it. The people you sharpen will sharpen you back.

Which passages does this journey use?

2 passages, drawn from Proverbs 27:17, Proverbs 17:17. Every verse appears here in the King James text with a plain-English line beside it, so you can read it without a commentary open. Allow about 5 minutes for the whole thing, or 6 short sittings.

  • Proverbs 27:17
  • Proverbs 17:17

Read any of these in full on the complete KJV, or look the wording up independently at Blue Letter Bible.

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