BEING A FRIEND FOR GOD

Proverbs 27:6 - Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

When a person needs God as a friend in the flesh, can God send or use us?  All relationships, especially those that have some degree of closeness or openness, may involve some level of wounding one another at times.  We usually don’t need any special training in learning how to wound people, but those of us that belong to God as His children may want to rethink our responsibilities and value in the relationships that God has allowed or sent our way.  In our present text for devotion, the positioning of three words may give us some food for thought about the value and responsibility of wounding others in a positive way for God.  The word “wounds” is surrounded by the words “faithful” and “friend”.  They seem to qualify for us that there is value and responsibility when we wound others, especially when we carry His Name as Christians.

Since wounding usually involve words and actions, faithful words and actions usually have their origin from a faithfulness that flows out a relationship with God and His Word.  Faithfulness that is of any value to people must first be rooted in a faithfulness to God.  The word faithful finds its definition in the revealed character that God has shown to all kinds of people for centuries.  It denotes a sincerity of concern, compassion, devotion and commitment to words of truth and actions that are intended for our wellbeing.   God’s wounds given to us for our good are also wounds that He is willing to be a part the healing (Job 5:18).  His wounds are always rooted in the truth of His Word and come from a heart that has a dedicated and proven love motive toward us.   Because there is the reality of wounding, it also means that there is a necessity for caution in wounding also.  It has great potential for good in others’ lives, but it also, in the wrong hands, can inflict greater damage that further destroys rather than leads to any healing.

When we wound others we cannot wound them based upon our opinions, feelings, or worldly ideologies, but the words that wound are to be words that have some redeeming and healing value or purpose to them.  A faithfulness to God should yield a faithfulness to what He wants and is trying to accomplish in the lives of those we have access to in life.  Jesus came to seek and to save those that are lost (Luke 19:10); that people would know the truth and be set free to live for Him through that truth (John 8:32); that people would know the experience of His love through us who believe (Galatians 5:14) and erring people can be saved from destructive paths of life (James 5:20).

Wounds may hurt, but they should always be designed to help and heal with a motivation to do unto others as we would have them to do unto us (Matthew 7:12).  This teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ has often been referred to as the Golden Rule for conduct in human relationships.   It has been described as the foundation for the same kind of goodness and mercy toward others as God shows toward us every day.  If we must wound, let us seek to wound in love and truth -- always having the desire to edify one another and not tear down the lives that God loves (Ephesians 4:29).

Prayer:  Father, we have not always treasured the responsibility to wound people with the kind of love You have shown us when You have had to wound us.  Help us to be more discerning with our words and redeeming like You, in Jesus Name, amen.

(by Pastor Wayne Cockrell)