“Wealth attracts many friends, but a poor person is separated from his friend.” (Proverbs 19:4)
We’ve all seen it.
A rich person who has many friends. He’s the most popular person in the room. He exudes power, prestige, and charisma. His clothes are nicer than yours, right down to the wrist watch and shoes. Even if he isn’t the most attractive person, yet because of his wealth he seems strangely handsome somehow.
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People are attracted to it. It’s in our nature. We innately want to be attached to and associated with someone who has money in hopes that some of his success vibe might rub off on us. Or perhaps we might be the lucky recipient of some of his generosity and favor. Without the hard labor or the industrious sacrifice of an enterpreneur’s million dollar idea we think we can reap some of the benefits if we only become that person’s friend and find favor with him.
Yet this same person, for all his company of friends suddenly finds himself bereft of his companions when his wealth vanishes. Perhaps a bad investment made him bankrupt, or the economy has turned for the worse, or a lawsuit leaves him with virtually penniless. However it happened, his friends have disappeared just as surely as his wealth. In that way, he never truly had friends, for they never really cared about him, just what they could gain from his friendship.
That is the way of the world. Like it or not.
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True friends who are there for you through thick and thin are extremely rare, and they usually take a long time to develop. You are truly blessed if you have even one. Fortunately for the Christian, whatever his circumstance, whatever his lot in life, he has a Friend who sticks closer than a brother (18:24). His friendship is not based on our circumstances, or our accomplishments, or our pedigree, but on His faithfulness. His love for us is truly unconditional. That’s friendship you can count on! Who is this friend? Of course this is none other than Jesus Christ. The writer of Hebrews reminds us to “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5).
Thank God that He not only is our Savior but our ever-faithful Friend!