Givers & Takers

The second important characteristic of true friends that the writer of Proverbs notes is that they Give & Take. They lend benefits to the relationship and are not just in it to see what they can get from you.

Proverbs 19:4— Wealth adds many friends, but a poor man is separated from his friend.

Proverbs 19:7— All the brothers of a poor man hate him; how much more do his friends abandon him! He pursues them with words, but they are gone.

Do you give your friends a chance to contribute to your friendship? Do you have friends that seek to both give & take as occasions arise? Or, do you have takers only? Remember, don’t set yourself up to be disappointed by not reserving the word ‘friend’ for those who truly understand this important characteristic.