July 15, 2008
Friendship Choices
Lydia Rule, RTF Staff Writer
Your closest circle of friends will reveal much about your personality, interests, goals, and even spiritual walk with God. Choosing friends wisely is no laughing matter—it’s a serious issue that reflects your heart.
That is why people often look at my family with a suspicious eye. You see, we have a very close friend that is not at all what you would expect from a Preacher’s family with three impressionable daughters.
And yet, this friend, like a bad case of the fleas, always sticks to us.
He is inherently lazy, cares very little about work, and sleeps the day away. This of course, is a trait the Bible shows us is wrong:
Proverbs 19:15
Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.
He has a foul mouth (not to mention breath), little moral understanding, considerably rude manners, very preoccupied with the baser things of life, and yet he is allowed to be around the Pastor’s three girls any time he pleases.
He is certainly not a Christian… he never prays or attends church. And should he attend church, his only purpose would be to distract the congregation from listening to the sermon. Of course, if your mindset is focused on distracting people from listening to God, you should take a look at Proverbs…
Proverbs 22:10
Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife and reproach shall cease.
He is a beggar, and yet never ashamed of it. His greatest ambition is to have a blanket, a corner to keep warm in, and to keep his belly full without having to find a job.
But even if you have a bad friend like my family does, should you disconnect yourself from that friend?
The Bible asks a question in Amos 3:3… “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”
While you cannot have a close walk with this friend, you can try to show them Christ’s love.
However, in our situation, we have come to accept the fact that no one is perfect.
And neither is the Pastor’s dog.
Bio: Lydia Rule is an award winning writer who has been published over fifty times. She enjoys spending time with her miniature beagle, despite his many faults and fleas.
Judi says:
Great story, Lydia.
Debbie says:
LOL. You got me.
Great stuff, Lydia! 
Debbie
JillY says:
But isn’t it nice that that friend doesn’t judge. always loves and is cute as can be?! We (the Yuen family) just got a new friend like that! She is a Beagledor. Half lab, half beagle….so, I guess our dog is the opposite of a miniature beagle!! Great post!
Catey says:
You had me going until the very end. Great job, as usual, Lydia.
You probably saw that my mom (Jilly) said our dog is half beagle… is this the kind of friend Ollie will be?
-Catey
Lydia Rule says:
Thanks for all the comments!
I had to reassure my little dog that he wasn’t really all that bad after writing the article. 
lol
Many smiles!
-Lydia R.
LynR. says:
Great article! I thought the pic was really cute!