“A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”‭‭

Proverbs‬ ‭18:24‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Solomon, a man wise beyond his age and time, penned hundreds of spirit-inspired proverbs. Proverbs, like the one above, which possess both the power and authority of a king and the wisdom and foresight of a prophet to reach deep into the sands of time as well as far into the future to foretell a Friend whose greatest desire is to become Family.

This proverb, like many biblical proverbs, has the supernatural heartbeat to speak truth and life into any society at any mark along the timeline of history, especially today. We are a society “of many companions “ or as the Amplified Bible reads “too many friends”. Too many friends, you say, how can this be bad for us?

First, we must ask our socialized media selves, do we have friends, followers, streaks, fellow tweeters, or true fellowship with all these exaggerated numbers of networked pages and posts? Perhaps the plethora of social media communities have so watered-down the concept of friend, we’ve lost touch with the blessings of soul-connected companions.

Second, I’ve always been told from my Solomon-like mentors that if you can count on one hand the number of close friends you’ve had in a lifetime, you are blessed. Friendship, like marriage, is sacred. True soul-connection companionship is a gift from God, a fellowship reserved for an ordained few. Mary and Elizabeth shared this spirit-filled connection. David and Jonathan declared their covenant friendship within the pages of 1 Samuel 18, “. . .the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.”

Are you knit to the soul of another? Do you have a friend whom you love as your own soul?

Maybe that’s a loaded question. Maybe that’s what you desire, but in reality it requires more of your heart than you are willing or ready to give. Maybe you’ve been hurt one to many times by the ones you called “friends”.

Like many of our relationships, God uses friendships to ultimately teach us about Himself. The battleground of friendship is where we learn to fight for loyalty, faithfulness, trust, and forgiveness. God-ordained friends can also help us discern the areas in our lives in most need of transformation.

Yet, sacred friendship takes time well spent, intentional conversation, sandpaper moments when we smooth out one another’s rough edges, unconditional love and unwavering support, even when we blow it. Sacred friendship waits patiently while God Himself knits two souls into one.

Are you open to this kind of friend? Have you felt the longing in your heart for more?

When my one and only brother passed away, this proverb played on repeat in my mind, “there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother”. While I was out jogging one day after his death, the Holy Spirit revealed to me, this Friend is Jesus.

Jesus is the Friend whose greatest desire is to become Family. He is the One whose soul and spirit will come and dwell with ours as God knits sister and brother in sacred union and communion. Yet, this sacred friendship takes time well spent, intentional conversation, sandpaper moments when He smooths out our rough edges, unconditional love and unwavering support, even when we blow it.

Oh, how I misunderstood this relationship with Christ for years, while at the same time longing for true soul connection. I found religion in knowing, but I finally found relationship when I laid my broken heart at His feet and started talking to Him like He was actually in the room!

Jesus is the Friend who sticks closer than a brother, or mother, or father. He’s our forever family when we invite Him in. He dwells while God knits. Trust Him with your heart.