Choose Your Friends Wisely

CHOOSE YOUR FRIENDS WISELY 有智慧地選擇你的朋友 約翰福音 John 15 : 5 I have not called you servants, but I have called you friends because I have made known to you what my Father wants you to know. 5 我是葡萄樹，你們是枝子。常在我裡面的，我也 常在他裡面，這人就多結果子；因為離了我，你 們就不能做甚麼。

Definition 釋義 Old Testament 舊約 : REA (ray-ah) brother, companion, husband, lover, neighbour. 兄弟﹐ 同伴﹐ 丈夫﹐ 愛人﹐ 鄰居

New Testament 新約 : PHILOS someone who you feel close to, some one you have love for, or care about. 一個與你 親近的人﹐ 一個你愛或關心的人

WISDOM IN ‘PROVERBS’ 在箴言裡的智慧 Analyse friendship to a deeper level / provides practical advice. 分析你的朋友 會否給你實際的忠告 箴言 Proverbs 22:24 Don’t befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul. 好生氣的人，不可與他結交；暴怒的人，不可與 他來往；

5 types of Friends 五種朋 友 1. Fair weather friends 平水之交 2. Fickle Friends 變幻無常的朋友 Inconsistent 常變的

1. User friends 市道之交 “You’re my buddy when I need a favour” 有事鍾無艷、無事夏迎春

1. True Friends 患難之交 Stand by you through thick and thin 與你一起渡順與逆的環境

1. “Frienemy” Ex good friends 已不再是朋友

Key Facts about Friendships 友誼的重點

1. We ALL need friends 我們每個人也需要朋友 2. Need “a real friend who sticks closer than a brother” 需要比弟兄更親密的朋友 箴言 Proverbs 18:24 …but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. 但有一朋友比弟兄更親密

1. A limit to number of close friends 需要幾個親密的朋友

Key Facts about Friendships 友誼的重點

4. Make / lose friends easily - no solid foundation. 如沒有好的根基便會很容易結交朋 友但也會很快失去朋友 5. Rules for Enduring friendships 有不明文的規條 6. No PERFECT friends 沒有完美的朋友 7. Today’s world – hard to find TRUE friends 在現今的世界裡 很難尋找真正的朋友

Key Facts about Friendships 友誼的重點

8. Modern culture: transactional model of friendship 現代的文化 : 交易式的友 誼 9. Friendships must be worked at 友誼是需要用心哉培的 10.Want a friend, be a friend! 如你需要朋友 你應先作一個朋友

True Friends: Key Qualities 真正朋友的性質

Faithful and forgiving 信實及寬大 箴 Prov 17:17 “always be loyal” 朋友乃時常親愛，

Sensitive yet frank 敏感別人的需要但也要坦白 箴 Prov 27:6 Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy. 6 朋友加的傷痕出於忠誠；仇敵 連連親嘴卻是多餘。

Help you flourish 幫作你去成長 箴 Prov 12:26: the Godly give good advice to their friends 義人引導他的鄰舍；惡人的道叫人失迷。 箴 Prov 27:17 Iron sharpens iron. So a friend sharpens a friend 鐵磨鐵，磨出刃來；朋友相感（原文 是磨朋友的臉）也是如此。

HOW TO NOURISH A FRIENDSHIP 怎樣去滋潤一段友誼 歌林多後書 2 Cor 6:11 We have spoken honestly with you, our hearts are opened to you; There is no lack of love on our part 哥林多人哪，我們向你們，口是張開的，心 是寬宏的。

Why Friendships COOL DOWN 為甚麼友誼會冷淡下來

Distance – geographically / emotionally 地區性或情緒上的距離 Changes in values and interests 在價值觀或興趣上的變更 Betrayal / Disloyalty 被出賣或不忠實 Change in status 身份地位的改變 Judgemental 論斷 Borrow money / don’t pay back 借錢不還 Communication lines break down 沒有溝通

CONCLUSION 總結 Jesus is the Friend who sticks closer than a brother. 耶穌是這個比兄弟更親密 的朋友 Seek out good/wise people to share your life 怎找好及有智慧的朋友來分享你 的生命 Examine the kind of friend you are to others. 考查你是有個怎樣的朋友