Faithful Wounds of a Friend

Reading for Today: Proverb Chapter 17

Gold Nugget

Verse 6: “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.”

Commentary

I’ve known many people in business, ministry and personal life who surround themselves with “Yes Men”. People want others that agree with them to be their partners in business, ministry and their personal lives. Now I absolutely understand the wisdom in partnering with people that are like-minded. Even the scriptures teach that we should be “evenly yoked”, but in our attempt to make everything so convenient and comfortable we remove the level of accountability and challenge that is necessary for personal and spiritual growth. We do so by surrounding ourselves with people that tell us what we want to hear. They are our favorites. I’ve seen business managers suffer from surrounding themselves with people that agree with them to a fault. I’ve seen ministry leaders that surround themselves with the same and suffer from the “One-Man Show Syndrome”.

I would rather someone tell me the truth even if it hurts, than for someone to lie to me and allow me to continue down the wrong path. Today’s “gold nugget” reminds us that, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful." True friends will tell you the truth even if it’s painful. Beware of those that kiss you even while watching you drown. If we remove all accountability and challenges, we remove the opportunity for growth. Let “Truth” be the highest priority to you in all things and you will find yourself living a more balanced and fulfilling life.

Prayer

Lord, I know you have put some folks in my life that tell me like it is. I thank you for that and pray I will be receptive to people that challenge me to walk in truth. Amen

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