Good Morning,
Today’s devotional is written by Brian Dickson Jr., a community scholar for the class of 2022. Brian is the Event Coordinator for the in TCU Black Student Association (BSA), and the President of TCU’s Word of Truth Gospel Choir. Finally, Brian is in a musical Trio with two other TCU scholars called “Revib3d” and their music can be found on all streaming platforms. Brian speaks truth in love to all who cross his path. May his words today help you as you continue on your Lenten journey.
Reading
Proverbs 27:5-6, “Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.”
Reflection
While approaching my last year at TCU, I have been trying to figure out who my real friends are because I don’t want to hold on to one-sided friendships. There were times when I found myself questioning certain friendships after feeling mistreated or after hearing rumors about them gossiping about me (most of the time it was all just miscommunication and over analyzation). I also refused to have conversations with my friends about these concerns because I didn’t want us to have a falling out; I’d rather sacrifice my feelings for the sake of our friendship. I didn’t realize that I was building cases up on all my friends. I would distance myself from them. I would be upset with my friends, and they would never know; this is not friendship.
This scripture was a wake-up call and cut me deep. I had to check myself and realize that I was not a good friend. I prayed to God and asked him, how will I know if my friends are really for me and how can I be a better friend to them? He first revealed to me that: if your friendship ends after having a conversation with your friend about respecting boundaries, or after correcting them when they have done something wrong, then you guys are not friends. In God’s word, all the time it talks about how friendship is established in trust, and instead of worrying about who my real friends are, I will trust that God will reveal them to me, and I will extend grace and trust onto the people who I call my friends. I am now bolder and more willing to communicate with my friends, and all my friendships have been much better.
Prayer
Lord I pray that my story helps readers rethink any approaches to friendship, that are not rooted in love and trust. I pray that we all begin to trust your will and stop trying to reason situations with worldly logic. In Jesus name. Amen.
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