Choose Your Friends Wisely

He who walks [as a companion] with wise men will be wise, But the companions of [conceited, dull-witted] fools [are fools themselves and] will experience harm.

Proverbs 13:20 amp

Relationships are the backbone of life. We have acquaintances, besties, husbands or wives. It is impossible to live a healthy lifestyle without relationships, and research shows that friends are important to our psychological well-being.

Because the people in our lives play such a huge role on our mental health, we should pay attention to those we let into our lives and how much access we give them. Good friends are good for the soul! They will celebrate in the good times and be with us in the bad times.

So how do we pick the “right” people, those who will not leave us stranded on our worst days? There is no simple answer, but we can look for the following traits:

• Integrity. Are they trustworthy and dependable, or will they leave when life becomes challenging?
• Care. Do they show empathy when we share about a difficult day? Can they hear and listen to what we have to say? Can they sit in silence with us?

We might struggle to reach out to others, especially in the midst of our depressive symptoms. And sometimes in our loneliness we accept anyone’s behavior as a sign that they care about us. However, not everyone is equipped to walk with us in every season. We need to be intentional about the people we allow to be our supporters. Regardless of our circumstances, it is never too late to make good friends.

When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives means the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand.

Henri Nouwen

I would rather walk with a friend in the dark, than alone in the light.

Helen Keller

Friends are those rare people who ask how we are and then wait to hear the answer.

Ed Cunningham

For Further Reflection

1 Thessalonians 5:11; Ecclesiastes 4:9; Proverbs 18:24

Today’s Prayer

Dear Jesus, you are a friend who sticks close to me always. Please help me as I choose my support team, that they will carry Christlike attributes. Amen.