Desperate Times = Dependable Friends

Job 6:14-15

In trouble like this I need dependable friends whether I’ve forsaken God or not. But you, my friends, you deceive me like streams that go dry when no rain comes.

I think they need to come up with a new name for the people who they call “friends” on Facebook. I have over 5000 friends and Facebook only allows 5K. I’ve discovered that when I try to add people with whom I’m in relationship with I can’t because I’m over the limit because I’ve added people who requested to be my “friend” but from whom I never communicate with. They should change the name of “Friends” to “people who want to watch you live.” It’s not a slam on the people who genuinely want to interact with you but it is an inquiry as to why so many people hide behind the word “friend” but are not really friendly.

Social media is a reflection of real life. When we first got on the social scene we got many friends and followers we were linked up with, many people as we met on Foursquare and allowed people into MySpace but what we discovered over time is that many of these people are not dependable in desperate times.

The illusion of friendship in social media has overflowed into our private lives. We have the illusion of quantity with the reality of very little quality. Whodini asked the question, “Friends, how many of us have them, the ones we can depend on?”

The bible says that “brothers are born in the time of adversity, but Job says, “When I found myself in desperate times my brother or friends were not dependable.” Job compared his friends to intermittent streams that swell when it rains or when the snow melts.” There are seasons when people pour into your life when things are going good, you’re on top, you have money, you’ve got good health, everybody wants to be your friend but when it gets hot or you’re catching heat they dry up.

Desperate times calls for dependable friends. Job lost everything he had. He asked the question, “Do I have any power to help myself now that success has been driven from me? A despairing man should have the devotion of his friends.” Job’s friends accused him of doing wrong because he was suffering. Jobs friends speculated as to why he was not on top anymore. Job’s friends talked about him when they should have just listened to him.

Desperate times calls for dependable friends. How do we make sure we are dependable?

1. Be consistent. Be a friend in season and out of season. In good times and bad times.

2. Make sure you’re there when they’ve fallen just like you were when they were ballin'.

3. Encourage them in the Lord.

4. Take up for your friend and not give in to the Peanut gallery. Everybody has an opinion of how somebody got knocked down but only a friend helps them up.

5. Don’t be a fair-weather friend.

6. Call them in their dry season.

7. Pray for them.

Dear God,

Help me to remember that he who has friends must first show himself friendly. Help me to be the kind of friend that I want in my life. Help me to shorten my friend's list because life is too short to be frontin'.

In Jesus Name,

Amen