An excellent mentor and good friend is hard to find. Yet with wisdom from the Lord, every one of us should be able to identify someone in our circle of friends who is able to influence us in a positive way. Nonetheless, we must exercise discernment in choosing whom to befriend. The Bible expects us to choose when to associate with someone and when to dissociate with someone. The Bible also advises us that certain relationships are worthwhile and others may not be.  I looked up the word “friend” in the King James Bible. That word is used a total of 49 times. That number is higher if we include the plural form. I thought it would be interesting to read through all these verses so as to understand how the Bible reveals to us the broad implications of friendship. This is what I have observed:

• a friend may mean just anybody (Matthew 20:13)
• a friend can betray you (Psalm 41:9; Matthew. 26:50)
• a friend is someone who reaches out to you (Luke 7:34)
• a friend is someone willing to go through hardship to help you (Luke 11:6)
• a friend is someone who stands by you (John 3:29)
• a friend may refer to someone who believes in God (Isaiah 41:8; James 2:23)
• we can be friends of God or friends of the world, depending how we live our lives
  (James 4:4)
• your spouse should be your lover and your friend (Song of Songs 5:16)
• a real friend is not afraid of telling you the truth (Proverbs 27:6)
• a real friend gives your earnest counsel (Proverbs 27:9)
• a real friend can sharpen you like iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17)
• a real friend loves you at all times (Proverbs 17:17)
• we are friends of God if we obey His commandments (John 14:14-15)
• Jesus is our best friend, above all others (Proverbs 18:24; John 15:13)

良師益友實在難尋, 然而靠著從神而來的智慧, 人人都可以從自己朋友圈中找到一些能夠帶給我們正面影響的朋友.  不過, 我們在擇友時必須謹慎從事.  聖經期望我們去選擇什麼時候與某些人聯絡, 什麼時候與某些人保持距離。 聖經也提醒我們, 有些關係對我們有益, 有些關係却對我們無益.  我從英王欽定本聖經查看“朋友”這個名詞.  它總共出現了四十九次, 如果加上複數的名詞, 就會更多.  由於興之所致, 我就把這些經文讀了一遍, 希望從中看到聖經如何把“友情”廣泛的含意啟示出來. 以下是我的一些觀察:

• 朋友可以用來代表任何一個人(太20:13)
• 朋友可能會背棄你 (詩41:9; 太 26:50)
• 朋友願意向你伸出同情之手 (路7:34)
• 朋友願意捨己為你 (路 11:6)
• 朋友與你同甘共苦 (約 3:29)
• 朋友是指那些信神的人 (賽41:8; 雅2:23)
• 我們可以與神為友, 或與世俗為友, 要看我們如何做人而定  (雅4:4)
• 你的配偶應該是你的情人和你的朋友 (歌5:16)
• 真正的朋友不怕忠言逆耳 (箴 27:6)
• 真正的朋友會給你誠實的勸教 (箴 27:9)
• 真正的朋友能使你更加敏銳, 像鐵磨鐵一樣(箴27:17)
• 真正的朋友始終都愛你 (箴 17:17)
• 我們若是遵行主的命令, 就是主的朋友了(約15:14-15)
• 耶穌是我們最好的良友, 在其他一切朋友之上 (箴18:24; 約15:13)