How Sweet It Is!

The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense.

Proverbs 27:9 (NLT)

Have you ever met someone who knows exactly what to do at any given moment? They seem to know just what to say, or do, to make things right, to get out of a jam, or to basically fix things. It’s pretty incredible to watch.

For me, that person was my dad. He seemed to always know what to say at the right time. He knew when to be tough with me. But, he also knew when to have fun as well. His words were always spoken in kindness, never in anger – even when I was being grounded for doing something dumb.

It was really hard on me when he died just a couple of months shy of my 21^st birthday. The person in my life that I always counted on to guide me, to provide the right answer at the right time, was gone. It shattered my world, that’s for sure. But, something so tragic also taught me the value of friendship.

When I returned to college, following the memorial service for my dad, I realized how true my friends were. Of course, us guys don’t like sitting around and talking about our feelings, so we didn’t. However, my guys were there for me. Each one of them, in their own way, let me know that they had my back – that we would get through this together. And, crazy enough, they often had the right words to say at the right time. Sometimes, words didn’t even need to be spoken. But, their counsel, their input, into my life got me through the darkest time.

King Solomon describes how valuable a true friend is, when he penned, “The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense.” Friends invest in each other. They are there for one another. They give words of encouragement. They help make life better.

If you have friends in your life that have been the “go-to” person, or have made life better, let them know how much you value their friendship. And, in addition, be that go-to person form them as well. When you do this type of symbiotic relationship (you rely upon one another) you will experience the sweetness that Solomon describes.

Today, and every day, seek out the goodness in your friendships. Lift up your friends. Add sweetness to their life.