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"Do not forsake your own friend or your father's friend,
Nor go to your brother's house in the day of your calamity;
Better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far away."
(Proverbs 27:10)
I recently heard that a man's best friend had an affair with his wife. When I hear stories like this, I get deeply upset, nauseated, and downright angry. How in the world could a best friend do that?!
Satan hates everything that is pure and lovely, like friendship. The Enemy of our souls tempts us in order to bring destruction (John 10:10). I encourage all of you reading this devotional to first and foremost give your heart to Jesus Christ; receive Him as your Lord and Savior. He will be that friend who never leaves or forsakes you. He will never betray you. People do, but God doesn't! Then, if you are married, please let your spouse be your best friend. Married people have no business having best friends of the opposite sex. You are just asking for trouble.
Solomon instructs us to not forsake our friends or friends of our families. To forsake a friend means you neglect them, or worse, abuse them. Investing in your friends is a wise endeavor. It is not a matter of if but when trouble comes, if you have built solid friendships, then you can lean on them and they on you. When the day of calamity arrives (and it arrives for us all), a neighbor nearby is better than a brother far away. Our neighbors should be our friends. When Jesus told us in the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:39) to love our neighbors as ourselves, I believe He was including the folks that actually live next door.
Some reading this today are experiencing some calamitous days. Please know you are not alone. God loves you, and so do others. You may feel so overwhelmed that you cannot see a way out, but there is always a healthy way out: that escape route will always have Jesus and your friends in the picture. Remember the game show Who Wants to Be A Millionaire? The host provides the contestant with three lifelines, one of which is the "phone a friend" option. I love that. Why don't you phone your friend now and tell him or her about your struggle and that you just need someone to talk to.
A burden shared is half as heavy. Make the call.
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