Solomon was a very wise man. He watched people make friends, and he noticed something. Some friends are not there when you need them. They promise to stay, then they go. But Solomon also saw another kind of friend. This friend stays closer than a brother. That means closer than family.
Solomon is telling us that a true friend is a treasure. A true friend does not run away when things get hard. A true friend sits with you. A true friend remembers you.
Who is that friend for us? Jesus is. He never walks away from you. He stays close every single day. And here is something wonderful. Jesus lets us be that kind of friend to other people too.
Being that friend can start very small. It can start with a hello. It can start with a question. Today, look for someone sitting alone. Say hello. Ask, "Do you want to play?"
👫Making Friends
A Friend Who Stays Close
A smile and a kind word can start a new friendship
October 31, 20262 min readNIV
One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
— Proverbs 18:24 (NIV)
Proverbs of Solomon
Today's Story
✍️Fictitious Story
Mateo's shoelace came undone again. He knelt by the void deck bench to tie it, and that was when he saw the girl sitting alone. She held a lunch box on her lap and did not look up. Mateo's tummy felt tight. He remembered how it felt to stand there and know nobody. He wiped his nose on his sleeve and stood up. Then he walked over to her. "Hello," he said. "My name is Mateo. Do you want to play?" The girl looked up. Her name was Priya. She set her lunch box down and nodded. They raced toy buses along the curb until it was time to go home.
Reflection
Think About It
• Have you ever felt too shy to say hello to someone new? • What could you say to a person who is sitting alone?
Prayer
God, You are the friend who never leaves me. You stay close when I feel shy. You have not forgotten me. I will not be afraid. Help me to say hello today, and to be a friend who stays. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Live It Out
Say hello to someone new today and ask, "Do you want to play?"