“A man of too many friends comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
— Proverbs 18:24

In this Facebook generation where people are collecting friends, it has become easy to develop superficial relationships. So many of the “friends” that crowd our social media accounts are not friends at all; they are just props to prove our popularity.

This social media trend runs counter to the wisdom of the Word of God. The Bible doesn’t tell us to count friends, to see how many connections we can add to our Facebook page just so it appears to the world that we are “somebody.” Rather, God’s Word places great value on friends who can really be trusted.

“There is a friend,” the Word says, “who sticks closer than a brother” (Prov. 18:24). Think about this: Have you been pursuing friends just so you can appear to be important in the world’s eyes? Or are you trying to develop real relationships with people who have integrity and will be there for you when you need them? It is better to have a few good friends than to have 150 superficial relationships.

Beloved, let us preserve and continue to build key relationships throughout our days with the people whom God has called us to walk with as true friends. The Lord puts value not on the number of friends we have but on the quality of the friendships. All true rela- tionships require sacrificial love, compassion, patience, and forgiveness.

And if you desire to make new friends, reach out strategically and be willing to make the first move. There is nothing wrong with being proactive in developing new relationships. Just pursue friendships that really matter.

Father God, thank You for being a friend who sticks closer than a brother and for putting people in my life who love me. Father, I ask that You help me to appreciate the friends You have placed in my life and not seek after superficial connections. Help me to develop friendships with the people You want in my life so we can grow together and support one another.

Rabbi Kirt A. Schneider, Rivers of Revelation (Lake Mary, FL: Charisma House, 2020), Used by permission.