“Am I not destroying an enemy when I make a friend of him?” ~ Abraham Lincoln
The above quote, was the response of America’s 16th president following the Civil War. Lincoln was asked this because many Northerners were frustrated of Lincoln’s kindness to the South. You see, relationships were needing to be mended, but this could not be done at a distance. For Lincoln, this was likely more than a friendly gesture. It was intended to be a safety net.
Nonetheless, he was not given enough time to make many friends as he was unfortunately murdered at the hands of an enemy by the name of John Wilkes Booth.
Proverbs, the Biblical book of wisdom teaches on the many aspects of friendship including that-
You want friends, but not too many close friends (Proverbs 18:24). Friends build each other up (Proverbs 27:17). Companions will act for their friends best interests (Proverbs 17:17).
But this quoted truth goes much further than just Earthly friendships. It is also an important component of our relationship with God. We were once enemies of God, however, by the work of Jesus Christ, we can draw nigh and be sons, daughters, and therefore friends of God! We no longer store up wrath against ourself, because God destroyed an enemy by making a friend.
“8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” ~ Romans 5:8-12