1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV)

Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”

The good news is that we get to choose who we keep company with. We aren’t forced to have certain friends. But let’s make the distinction between friends and acquaintances. As followers of Christ, we are called to love everyone, but that does not mean we are called to be close friends with everyone. Jesus loved and interacted with anyone and everyone, but He shared close relationships with only a select few, His inner circle of friends, the 12 disciples. We are not called to isolate ourselves from people, but we do need to insulate ourselves from the wrong people. When we only focus on the problems around us we can easily miss the power within us. Associate with everyone, but only make an alliance with a few.

There are three kinds of people you will encounter in your life: Foes, Fans, and Friends. Foes think you are worse than you are, fans think you are better than you are, and friends know the truth about who you are.

Foes

Foes consider themselves your enemy. For whatever reason, they are out to take you down. Despite their opposition to us, we are still called to love our foes, but we don’t need to invest our time and energy into winning them over or developing relationships with them. Usually, these are the people it is wise to insulate ourselves from, to avoid becoming combative, discouraged, or hurt. Foes are inevitable, especially to those living out their faith with enthusiasm. Aristotle said, “Criticism is something we can avoid easily by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing.”

Fans

These are your surface-level friends or groupies. They are the people who tell you what you want to hear instead of what you need to hear. Be careful of spending too much time with your fans because it is easy to become complacent and blind to weaknesses in your character. Fans are not all bad, though. They are the ones who will cheer you on and bring fun to the forefront. Just be aware that, even with their good intentions, they can still lead you astray.

Friends

Friends are the chosen few people who will speak truth into your life through the good and bad seasons. Because they love you, they are committed to encouraging growth and refinement in your life. This means being honest with you about your weaknesses. Irish poet and playwright Oscar Wilde said, “True friends stab you in the front.” 

Proverbs 18:24 (NIV)

One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Jesus is the best friend you can have, and as Christians, we are called to be like Jesus. A Christ-like friend will stick closer than a brother. Your true friends are committed for the long haul, come what may. Challenges, sicknesses, losses—a great friend will be there through it all. Friends are a gift from God used to help us build community and sharpen each other. The quality of your friends determines the height of your success. Make sure you acquire a small group of Christ-centered friends who can speak truth and encouragement into your life, and you do the same for them. 

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (NIV)

9 “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 10 If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.”