Proverbs 17:17 English Standard Version (ESV)
17 A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for adversity.
Proverbs 18:24 English Standard Version (ESV)
24 A man of many companions may come to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
DEVOTIONAL
SOAP: Proverbs 17:17
Good friends are loyal and show up even when life gets messy. They press in and respond with care even when your life is unpleasant. Christ exemplified this by loving us while we were yet sinners. He didn’t wait for us to clean ourselves up to extend Himself to us.
If you are only a friend when the sun is shining, you are not a true friend. Do you have a friend whose life is upside-down right now? Maybe you haven’t called because you don’t know what to say. Ask God to give you courage and pick up the phone. Let’s purpose to be fully present for one another even when the storm clouds are raging.
Lord, thank You for loving us at our darkest. Help us to not be superficial, fair-weather friends. Give us courage to step toward each other when we want to run away and hide from the hard stuff. Amen.