Associate or Friend?
Theme for this Week: Building Relationships to Last
John Ashcroft
Sunday, April 28, 2002
 1 of 1
Key Bible Verse: The poor are despised even by their neighbors, while the rich have many "friends." (Proverbs 14:20). Bonus Reading:Proverbs 19:4, 67
Too many of us live on the surface of relationships without ever diving into where it really counts. When you're in a position to do things that people consider beneficial, they'll befriend you but won't necessarily be your friend. People who'll join us in our vulnerability are our true friends; people who join us solely in our assets are our associates. I've heard many a congressman lament, " I have a lot of associates, but I'm not sure I have any friends."
You never really know where you stand with someone until your capacity to benefit him is gone. When I served as the Missouri state auditor, I had prime seats for all university football games. After I lost the race to be elected to that post, I not only lost those prime seats, I occasionally found it tough getting into the stadium!
Men who pour all their energy into a position or vocation instead of relationships are setting themselves up for depression when they lose that position. That's why I'm so thankful that my father taught me the value of true friendships.
John Ashcroft in Lessons from a Father to His Son
Adapted from: Lessons from a Father to His Son (Nelson, 1998) by permission.
Copyright © 2002 by the author or Christianity Today International/Men of Integrity magazine.
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Enable me, Lord, to forge human relationships that mirror Your faithfulness.
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