​Prov. 27:5-6 - Better is open rebuke than love that is concealed. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.   NASU 
 

• The Best Gift For You 

The Christmas season is upon us and if you want to give yourself a great gift then give yourself the gift of a great friend. One thing we know for sure is life is tough and it will be a lot tougher if you don't have a great friend. 

• How Do You Know If You Have A Great Friend? 

Great friends will challenge your thinking process at times. This doesn't mean they are against you. It means they want what is best for you and sometimes your ideas need to be challenged. Sometimes we need to hear, "Have you thought this idea through?"
 
If we will be honest we have probably all had some dumb ideas and very glad we didn't take it to the next step because if we had failure was right around the corner.
 
A friend is one who looks you right in the eyes and challenges you or as verse 5 says, they will "openly rebuke" you. This Hebrew word for rebuke means to challenge, prove or reason. They will challenge you, ask you to prove it or ask you to reason with them on this? 

• Great Friends Will Do This 

This proverb then gives us an interesting analogy when it says a friend may wound you with their rebuke or challenge, but that is better then receiving a kiss from your enemy who wants you to try your endeavor and he hopes that you fail trying.
 
Friends will challenge you and you may even feel like you have been knifed with their questions. One thing we can all use is a friend who tries to keep us from falling but if we do fall he is there to help pick us up.
 
Your friends won't always agree with every choice you make but they will remain your friend.   
 
Friends listen to what you say and will not always agree with everything you say. But they are always there when you need them to listen. Hopefully, in your life you have at least one friend like this. 

• Great Friends Will Not Do This 

They will not simply say what you want to hear.
 
A friend shares with you the truth. They are not "yes" people. In other words, they will not tell you "yes" to anything you ask. They will listen to what you are saying before they give you any feed back.

Most of us all ready know what I am saying is true, but still we find ourselves being surrounded with the wrong type of people and listening to the wrong type of friend.
 
As Christmas gets closer give yourself the best gift possible, a Great Friend.
 
Think About These:
 
It is best to test new ideas on old friends.

If you were another person, Would you like to be your friend?

Stay Pumped,
 
Gary A. Serago

​Minister of God's Word
 

Prov. 13:20 - He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will suffer harm. NASU 

• Old Cliché 

There is a saying that goes like this: "You can't choose your family, but you can choose your friends". I would simply like to add to this saying: "You can't choose your family, but you can choose your friends, so choose wisely my friend".
 
My good friend and wrestling Coach Barry Davis told me about quite a few different wrestlers that he knew and coached over the years that associated with the wrong people.
 
One wrestler connected with the wrong girl friend and instead of returning the next year and becoming a National Champ, he didn't even finish as an All American as he had done the previous year.
 
Solomon said it many years ago and this is still great advice today. Choose your friends wisely. If you become friends with a fool it will cost you dearly. 

• The Apostle Paul 

Over a thousand years after Solomon the Apostle Paul would say it this way in: 1 Corin. 15:33 - Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals." NASU
 
All in all both men are simply saying something like this: "Show me your friends and I will show you your future." 

• Solomon Says 

His advice is pretty simple and straight forward. You want to associate with people who are wise. Wise people understand that life is not all about them. It is about helping others and being the best that you can be while on this earth.
 
We all have this in common and that is we are going to die.
 
So what are you going to do with your life before death comes knocking on your door?
 
The one thing you don't want to do is waste your time associating with the wrong people.
 
Serago's paraphrase of what Solomon says reads like this: "You associate with fools and it will bring guaranteed suffering into your life."
 
THE MESSAGE says it this way, "Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces." 

• Conclusion 

It is never too late to change your course. If you haven't been associating with wise people then start now. If you have been associating with fools then stop now.
 
Read God's Word because it will tell you the type of people to have as friends.
 
Think About These:
 
A wise man learns by the experiences of others.
An ordinary man learns by his own experiences.
A fool learns by nobody's experiences.
 
Knowledge knows a fact. Wisdom knows what to do with that fact.
 
Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

​Minister of God's Word
 ​

Prov. 13:20 - He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will suffer harm. NASU 

• Old Cliché 

There is a saying that goes like this: "You can't choose your family, but you can choose your friends". I would like to add to this saying: "You can't choose your family, but you can choose your friends, so choose wisely my friend".
 
When Barry Davis was coaching college wrestling, he told me about quite a few different wrestlers he knew and coached who associated with the wrong people, and ruined their careers.
 
One wrestler connected with the wrong girlfriend and instead of returning the next year and becoming a National Champ, he didn't even finish as an All American.
 
Solomon said it many years ago and this is still great advice today. Choose your friends wisely. If you become friends with a fool it will cost you dearly. 

• The Apostle Paul 

Over a thousand years after Solomon the Apostle Paul would say it this way in 1 Corinthians. 15:33 - Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals." NASU
 
All in all both men are simply saying something like this: "Show me your friends and I will show you your future." 

• Solomon Says 

His advice is pretty simple and straight forward. You want to associate with people who are wise. Wise people understand that life is not all about them. It is about helping others and being the best that you can be while on this earth.
 
We all have one thing in common and that is we are going to die.
 
So what are you going to do with your life before death comes knocking on your door?
 
The one thing you don't want to do is waste your time associating with the wrong people.
 
Serago's paraphrase of what Solomon says reads like this: "You associate with fools and it will bring guaranteed suffering into your life."
 
THE MESSAGE says it this way, "Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces." 
​

• Conclusion 

It is never too late to change your course. If you haven't been associating with wise people then start now. If you have been associating with fools then stop now.
 
Read God's Word because it will tell you the type of people to have as friends.
 
Think About These:
 
A wise man learns by the experiences of others. An ordinary man learns by his own experiences. A fool learns by nobody's experiences.
 
Knowledge is knowing a fact. Wisdom is knowing what to do with that fact.

Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago      
    
Minister of God’s Word

Prov.11:13 - He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets,
But he who is trustworthy conceals a matter.   NASU 
​

• Friends Know How To Keep Secrets 

Have you ever done something that was embarrassing and asked a friend not to repeat a word about this event?  Well, guess what you can actually use this as a litmus test for who will be your real friends.
 
Friends know how to conceal things about you and not reveal them.
 
This proverb says a talebearer or one who walks about spreading scandal about you will not be a friend. This person will reveal the events that you didn't want made known. If they will reveal simple embarrassing things then imagine if there was something serious that you didn't want people to find out about you.
 
Please know that I am not talking about anything criminal here. What I am referring to is things that happen to all of us in life but you don't want the whole world to know about it. 

• Friends Are Trustworthy 

One thing I can say about being in the ministry I heard a lot of people confess to some pretty stupid acts, and they would say, "You have to promise me you will not repeat this."
 
I had a reputation that no matter what anyone told me it never got repeated by me.
 
If you are going to be a friend the first characteristic you want to develop is being trustworthy. When someone shares with you an event in their life and asks you to keep it a secret, be a trustworthy friend and don't repeat it. Honor their request.
 
Don't be a low life and blab everything you know.
 
No one can force you to reveal secrets. The power is all yours. You can either conceal or reveal the matter the choice is yours. Take the high road and conceal what you have been asked to conceal.
 
Be a trustworthy friend and conceal matters that pertain to you and your friend(s). 

• Be The Friend You Would Like To Have In Your Life 

We all have beliefs of how we think a friend should behave. Then behave this same way toward others. Be the friend toward others that you would like to have in your life.
 
Be a friend today and contact a friend and tell him/her how they have blessed your life.

"Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light." - Helen Keller
 
Think About These:
 
A good friend knows all your best stories, while a best friend has lived them with you.

Good Friends are Hard to Find, Harder to Leave, and Impossible to Forget.

Events in life are not quite as scary when you have a best friend.

Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word