Proverbs 18:24 ESV — A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Think about all the friends you have in all the areas of your life. You may have childhood friends, friends from work, friends from church, friends you know through your children’s extracurricular activities, college friends, etc. As I reflect, I realize I have friends that fall into all of those categories except lasting childhood friendships. As the daughter of a United Methodist minister, I moved often which made it difficult to form lasting childhood friendships. Lacking childhood friendships doesn’t make my life less full of love. Each of the groups of friends have different dynamics and different blessings. However, they are all human friendships which means that like me, they have faults. There are times that each of us fail one another because each of us is flawed. However, we all have a friend in Jesus Christ who is perfect. He will stick closer to us than anyone else will.

Let’s pray. Dear God, Show me my imperfections that sometimes cause me to hurt my friends. Help me to be a better friend. Thank You for the perfect friend we have in our Savior. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.