KneEmail - a devotional by Mike Benson associated with Forthright Magazine
Friend 2
A FRIEND IS a friend is a friend...
He will be there, regardless. To illustrate. A brother sins. He is a sinner. No question about it. But a friend does more than condemn. Too many "friendly churches" drop you in a difficult time. A true friend "sticks". He condemns -- he calls sin sin. but he also cares -- he cries. He says, "I will help you conquer." A friend is not merely a "judge, jury, and executioner." He is also a compassionate brother who tries to save and salvage. A church must be a "friend". Jesus can never be accused of being "soft". He called sin sin. But he never treated anyone -- no matter how sinful -- as a leper. He forgave publicans, harlots, yea even Pharisees! Jesus was a friend. (Charles Hodge)
KneEmail: "Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful" (Prov. 27:6).