Proverbs 17:17

     For those of you looking for a great book to read through, try the Book of Proverbs. I have been pleasantly surprised by how much I have learned as I have walked through it. I’ve read Proverbs a few times, but it does take a reminder to acknowledge that God’s Word is living and active. Every time you read it there is something new that transforms your outlook. 

So, as I was reading today, I came across Proverbs 17:17which says, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” I think that this verse presents us a great standard by which we should judge what kind of friend and Christian we are. When times are tough, am I available for those I call my friends? When my brothers and sisters in Christ are tempted or assaulted by this evil world, am I available to assist? One of the most important reasons we fellowship as Christians is to aid each other in this spiritual battle that each of us is participating in. We must be willing to help each other, because isolated Christians are Christians set up to stumble. So I would just say, let’s work with each other, let’s build each other up instead of tearing one another down, let’s speak the words that heal (Proverbs 16:24) instead of those that are like ’sword thrusts’ (Proverbs 12:18).