Toward or Away

DEVOTION
PROVERBS
TOWARD OR AWAY
Prov 12:26
26 A righteous man is cautious in friendship,
but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
NIV
There are two things going on here which bear great care. First I believe it demands my attention in how I interact with those who are my friends. Second it speaks to the issue as to picking those friends. If I am a righteous man I should be very weary as to who I associate with in the sense of friendship. I think many people use that term friend way too loosely calling anyone they know in some way a friend. To me and associate, a friend is one who is closer than a brother. A friend is a comrade, a confidant and a person of mutual respect. In choosing who I consider a friend I am extremely cautious. God has set a standard for friendship in Christ, who gave himself wholly for those he loved. If I am a friend I must both offer myself for my friend and offer them counsel based on the truth of God. I cannot withhold either me, that is my time and resources as well as counsel which would benefit them. In the same sense if they are my friend I would be able to expect the same of them towards me. All things consider being a righteous person; I should only choose other righteous people as a friend. Granted that sounds a little self-righteous, but I mean righteous as those who are in Christ, for he is our righteousness. Those people who have rejected Christ as Lord and Savior, who refuse to acknowledge their need for salvation are, by God, declared or considered in the way of the wicked. Why would I choose to follow their counsel? Why would I allow them to give me any guidance? All they could ever offer would lead me away from God and his ways rather than closer to him. Their counsel is based on human thought rather than on the thoughts of God. Yes, I could be a friend to them, but it would not be a friendship of mutual respect for I know they would not accept the counsel I would provide leading them toward God, as they have already rejected the prompting of the Holy Spirit and nothing I would offer could convince them. I do not reject contact with them nor do I keep silent in their presence hoping and praying that perhaps they may reconsider God’s way over their own. I believe true friendship for me is reserved for the household of faith and then only for a few of them. I am with those who are toward God not away from God.