Friday June 17, 2022

Making Friends The Right Way: Friendship With The Opposite Sex

Scripture Reference: 1 Timothy 5:2-5.

Exposition:

In many instances, one gets the opportunity to be friends with a peer for sharing, a superior for sound counselling or a younger person that God brings your way to help achieve the plan of God for his life. The point of discussion today is the fact that if such friends happen to be of the opposite sex, what cautions must be taken. I believe there are examples in the Bible to learn from lest such fine opportunities become a sour one resulting in a negative experience. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having a friend of the opposite sex in any of the levels discussed. However, one has to be cautious because many great destinies have been destroyed by such relationships not handled rightly.

In 1 Timothy 5:2, we are guided as to how to treat the opposite sex in a relationship (friendship). We are advised to treat friends who are older women/men as we would treat our mother or father. Also with younger women or men with all purity as we would our sisters. These will greatly guide us and keep us from any sexual immorality as such many friendships end up. Joseph was such a great example of how a younger male handled an older woman who even made sexual advances at him.

He practically drew the line of limitation. There is no amount of grace or anointing upon a person’s life that makes him immune to sexual immorality, hence the admonition,” he that thinks is standing should take heed lest he falls”. In such a relationship, never think you can never fall. One has to consciously put limitations beyond which the friendship should not travel.

How are you relating to your friends of the opposite sex (study mate, boss at work, secretary at the office, young ladies who come for counselling)? Do you relate with them in purity as your sisters and brothers and as your mother/ father? It’s not late. Draw the line of limitation now and act on it.

Prayer Guide: Father, I ask for the grace to discipline myself and adhere to the lines of limitation in dealing with the opposite sex in all purity.

Memory Verse For This Week:

1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV) – Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”

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