Today’s ONE THING: Best Friend or Just a Great Pal?

• Proverbs 18:24 (NKJV) A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

I’m afraid that most people do a horrible job at choosing friends and the result is calamitous. In my observations people have a tendency to confuse a good pal for being a best friend.

For example, the guys on your softball team may be great pals but are probably not best friends. Ladies, the gals that you eat lunch with or go shopping with may be wonderful “girlfriends” that you love to hang out with but that doesn’t mean they are qualified to be a best friend.

So what is a “best friend”? Here are some key qualifiers:

1. Think long-term. Deep and true friendships take a long time to develop. If your friendship hasn’t weather several storms then it’s still in the “great pal” stage.
2. Think wise counselor. Best friends are wise. One of the best things you can do is protect yourself from “pal-advice”. I’ve seen fellows make major decisions about their life all because of the advice of a golfing buddy. That’s no way to do life.
3. Think “rub”. That’s right: a best friend loves you enough to tell you the truth. If you always like the advice your friend gives you and you always enjoy being around them, then you have a pal – not a best friend.
4. Think godly. If your friend is not modeling an ever-increasing likeness to Jesus Christ that inspires and challenges you, then they are doing you no favors. Whatever you do, don’t get tied down to someone like that in a “best friend” relationship.

You will rise no higher in life than the friends you have. Your inner core of friends will influence you so much that your chances for success, happiness and even eternal life will ride on them. Choose them wisely and treasure them highly…they are few and far between.