Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.
Proverbs 27:6 (NLT)
Strong friendships can only form if two people are willing to broach the truth with each other…even when it gets uncomfortable.
We all want relationships that are supportive, strong, happy and fun. We want people around us who we can trust and who trust us; friends who can have a good time but are also willing to help us up when we fail and lend a shoulder when we need someone to lean on.
To develop these relationships, we need to be willing to talk about the issues that stand between us. We can’t dance around each other’s hot buttons because we’re too afraid to rock the boat. We need to be willing to share our perspective, and be willing to hear someone else’s opinion even when it differs with ours.
According to Proverbs 9:8, those who listen and accept correction are wise. It says, “Don’t bother correcting mockers; they will only hate you. But correct the wise, and they will love you” (NLT). And today’s verse calls these little loving corrections “wounds from a sincere friend.” They may hurt a little, but they are better than “many kisses from an enemy.” You see, the wise love correction because they know it helps them to make better choices in the future.
We all have blind spots: problems in our lives that we don’t see. Let’s develop strong, healthy relationships by counting on the people around us to point out what we don’t notice. By listening to others’ advice and being willing to talk about issues, we can help each other to be the best we can be.