A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24)
How true it is that we all can have many companions. That is, we have many people in our lives that are mere acquaintances, not those whom you would call ‘friends’ in the truest sense of the word. Actually developing a genuine friendship as described in our text is not easy. It does not come all by itself and if it seems to, that friendship is generally lopsided where the bond of friendship usually only lasts until it suits.
It seems that women have a great ability to develop these ‘closer than a brother’ like friendships. Us men usually default into a “I’m fine with my own company’ or ‘I don’t need anyone other than you sweet wifey” kind of mentality. We tend to lazily go it alone and satisfy ourselves with mere acquaintances. I’m speaking from experience here, OK! But I have come to know the value and joy of having friends that can be described as those who “sticks closer than a brother.” Us men need friends like this. Allow me to quote Kent Hughes, from his book, ‘Disciplines of a Godly Man’ to add to what I am saying on this.
He writes: Today friendship has fallen on hard times. Few men have good friends, much less deep friendships. Individualism, autonomy, privatization, and isolation are culturally cachet, but deep, devoted, vulnerable friendship is not. This is a great tragedy for self, family, and the Church, because it is in relationships that we develop into what God wants us to be… Friendships…are there to be made if we value them as we ought – and if we practice some simple disciplines of friendship.
Now you men especially, need to read this book to see what those disciplines are that develop such needed friendships. But in short, we need to work at them, as very few things of such value just happen!