And the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.
Do not forsake your friend and your father’s friend,
And do not go to your brother’s house
In the day of your calamity.
Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother who is far away.
To appreciate these words we’ll need to recall the stated purpose for this entire collection of Proverbs: “To know wisdom and instruction/ to receive words of insight/ To receive instruction in wise dealing/ in righteousness, justice, and equity…”
Back to our proverbs this morning - the writer asserts the wisdom of engaging in long-standing friendships. Smart people invest themselves, without quitting, in other people.
It is no good to “make it” in your career at the expense of former friendships. If you’ve had to freeze out your friends, you’ve given up too much! If you’ve lost the exchanged confidences and close counsel of a companion, you’ve forfeited something sweet and nourishing and gladsome.
There is a person who wants to give the impression that he doesn’t care for or need the people in front of him. He has friends elsewhere. ‘If you could just meet my buddies, you would understand why I have no time for you.’ But then he goes “elsewhere” and creates the same impression - ‘if you could just meet these friends… I only have energy enough for those…” (Now he’s referring to you!)
When you’re in trouble, you’ll discover that it’s better to have friends on the spot than close friends - real and imaginary! - “elsewhere.” Interest yourself in where you are. The wisdom of God.
This is a verse to meditate on today. “Pursue” is the only verb of the sentence, and moves us from existing by each other to actively chasing beneficial relationships.
“Pursue” also implies tactics; that we are giving thought to how to bring the best out of another. This is better than reviewing all the times and ways that others mess up.
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