“So no one told you life was gonna be this way?” (clap, clap, clap, clap, clap)

I’ll give you a minute to croon the rest of the iconic show opener before I tell you that, although much of everyone’s favorite sitcom flew right in the face of Christian living, Friends did get one thing right: Friendship is important.

John 15:13 says, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” That’s a bold statement, and it came from Jesus Himself. Scripture offers much discussion on the subject of friendship, but I think one of our biggest clues as to why it’s important is found in 1 Corinthians 15:33 where we’re told, “Bad company corrupts good character.”

You see, friendships shape us. God has a standard that He has called us to, and as followers of Christ, that standard is holiness. Friendships have the power to push us toward that standard or pull us away.

What kind of friend are you: one who corrupts, or one who would lay down his/her life?

Do you feel like your character has ever been corrupted by someone you considered a friend?