Some scripture for thought!

The book of Proverbs has always been a facinating book to me. Quite honestly, sometimes, I've often thought whats the point of having all of the sayings they seem to make little to no sense. And then I have moments like today where i read the Proverbs and a light bulb of wisdom goes off in my head and I've actually learned something that i really didn't fully understand.

Today's Proverb comes from chapter 18 vs. 24 "A man who has friends must himself be friendly. But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."

As many know i've struggled with loneliness for quite sometime even though I'm married. I have an incredible husband but sometimes his work hours for the past 2 years have left me more alone than with him or so it feels. Well this proverb jumped out at me because sometimes i've wondered why it it seemed like i've had little to no friends since i've been married. And scripture does the wonderful thing that scripture does and gives me an answer... "A man who has friends MUST himself BE FRIENDLY..."

I think that I have for too often used my shyness or introverte-ness as an execuse to not be friendly. Sure, I've always been a polite woman, not really rude, but not necessarily extremely friendly no wonder friends seem so scarce I haven't been willing to be a friend myself. I've always waited to first make sure that I was really wanted before I took an initiative and now i'm realizing that maybe others want to/need to know that i want them before they will take action as well. It seems like an endless cycle that we throw ourselves into until finally somebody puts a stop in it and does something different. Well I want to be the one that does something different. So, I'm commiting to myself to be more friendly.

But then there is the second part to this proverb..."But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."

I need to look in a commentary to fully understand who the author is talking about here. I'm assuming that it's God, and in our case as Christians, God and Jesus. It's comforting to know that even when we seem to make effort after effort with little to no results we have at least 1 friend that STICKS with us no matter what...What a comfort that is to know that my fear of being rejected can be overcomed knowing that i have at least 1 friend now that doesn't reject me because of Christs redemptive work on the cross.

Amen!!!