Wounds that Can Be Trusted

Proverbs 25-27; Romans 15

“Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses…Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of one’s friend springs from his earnest counsel.”

Proverbs 27:5, 6, 9

Do our friendships include the capacity for honest counsel, heartfelt advice, and even wounding that can be trusted?

When friendships are formed by the Lord for his purposes, we find our security in the Lord, not in our acceptance by others. We would rather rebuke a friend than let them stumble into a trap of the enemy. Honest counsel is one of the rare fragrances that make friendships valuable.

Do we give our friends permission to speak into our discernment questions even when it’s not the kind of counsel we wanted to hear?

Friends who both listen to us and to the Lord are a gift. Let us find ways to thank them and commit to being those kinds of friends to others.

“Lord Jesus, thank you for your living Word and honest counsel in my life. Thank you for friends who speak your wise and loving counsel to me regardless of the cost.”