Proverbs 27:9-10 - Closer than a Brother

Proverbs 27:9-10

⁹ Oil and perfume make the heart glad, so a man’s counsel is sweet to his friend.
¹⁰ Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend, and; better is a neighbor who is near than a brother far away.

Message: Closer than a Brother

Time: It seems that Proverbs was written and then compiled sometime between the tenth and sixth centuries B.C. Proverbs was probably written during the reign of Solomon, 971-931 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying:

I am reminded here that we need one another. We are not meant to traverse this life on our own. I'm always reminded of Hebrews 10:24-25 that says, "and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near." This reminds me that church attendance is important, but it reminds me that our fellowship is important. We need to assemble together. We found this in church yesterday, and even just for the few brief moments we got to church and saw old friends and shared that life is tough and a challenge and got that encouragement as well. And then that we could sit together and worship God together. Well, it was nice. 

Our Christian friends are people we share a common bond with. I appreciate the people that God has placed in my life - Fred, Pete, Craig, Bruce, Bobby, Scott, Karl, Warren. These are very important men in my life. There are more, but these men are consistently in my life and encouraging me. 

I think it is so important to have these men in my life. I need that daily reminder that life is a challenge and these men can encourage me. They help me put life in perspective. I am blessed to have them in my life. 

I agree with verse 9 that "a man's counsel is sweet to his friend." There have been many times when the words of Craig or Pete or Craig or Bobby or Scott or Warren have said something to me that just reminds me the importance of God's love in my life. There have been hard days of late, in some ways reminding me that I am not in control, but God is in control. I need to keep my eyes on God and trust him for the outcomes of life. 

I also realize that absent from this list is my own brother. I need to do it more, but I am not going to my brother. I could use time with him more. But, he and I are not as close as I would like. We live in different circles. I think this verse that says, do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity, realizes at times that our family members sometimes don't offer the best guidance in our lives. Mine would though, and I need to go to him more.

Promise: The counsel of a friend should be sweet, earnest, effective and grounded in concern for us, encouraging us to love God and trust Him.