Iron Sharpens Iron by Ufuoma Fijabi

Friendship is For a Purpose.

Friends are destiny helpers, and every friendship must be rooted in purpose. God does not bring friends into our lives in isolation. There is always a plan and purpose for every relationship he brings into your life. In the Bible, there are many examples of friends like the relationship between David and Jonathan, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, Ruth, and Naomi to mention a few.

These friends added and gave value to their relationship through sacrificial love, loyalty, commitment, faith, and service to each other. They understood that friendship was for a purpose and a walk towards fulfilling destiny together.

Ruth was in a dark season of her life and had every reason to walk away from everything and the situation that reminded her of her pain and past. Yet, the bible says Ruth clung to her mother-in-law Naomi. She found a friend in Naomi. ‘Clung’, in Hebrew means “to cling, stick, stay close, cleave, keep close, stick to, stick with, follow closely, join to overtake…”

Ruth chose to be joined together with her mother-in-law believing that each of them still had something to add and give to each other. She told Naomi - wherever you go, I will go and your people will be my people. Ruth eventually embraced the God of Israel and cared for Naomi, her mother-in-law like a daughter would.

Naomi in turn gave Ruth the wisdom and words to speak to Boaz which led to him redeeming their family and restoring all that Naomi had lost. Boaz married Ruth and had a son called Obed. Obed gave birth to Jesse, the father of King David, the lineage through which Jesus, our Redeemer came. You can see that Ruth and Naomi's friendship was tied to a higher purpose.

Friends are meant to sharpen each other. A true friend will bring out the best in you and always want to shine the spotlight on you. A true friend wants to see you succeed, blossom, and become all that God has called you to be.

This week, may you find that friend who will add value to your gifts, skills, and God's purpose for your life.

Prayer Moment
Dear Father,

• I thank you for bringing the right friends into my life. Thank you for ordering my steps to meet those friends who will adders and multipliers to my God-given purpose on the earth. My eyes are open to see and receive them when they come into my life.

• I pray for a discerning heart and an understanding mind when it comes to choosing my friends. I declare that I am blessed with the right friends in every season of my life. God gives me worthy friends to walk with me and push me towards achieving my purpose on the earth.

• I declare also that I add and give great value to my friendships. I support, encourage, and spur my friends on to become all that God has called them to be. I look beyond their weaknesses and celebrate their strengths. Together, we walk in harmony to do all that God has called us to do on the earth. Amen!

Think Over it
What is God saying to me today?