Proverbs 19:4
"Wealth adds many friends, but a poor man is separated from his friend"
wealth adds many friends
Every person who seeks anyone out, another person must see some benefit in the friendship. It is this benefit that is called wealth in this verse. Sometimes the wealth is social status; other times it is acceptance. Sometimes the wealth is wealth. Sometimes it is listening and attention.
If another person has no benefit for another person, there will be no friendship. This means that one must increase one’s value to other people – through knowledge, skill, attitude, character, wisdom, etc. There is no such thing as a person who is worthless and cannot increase his/her value.
I do find people who have little value in the areas where others need them to be valuable, and they wonder why this person does not want to be their friend. There must be a perceived value in the friendship.
Ask yourself the question: Why would anyone want to be your friend? What is the value or benefit in it for them?
but a poor man is separated from his friend
If you do not bring value to the friendship, then you will eventually lose that friendship. If you are always taking and not giving, then you will not be pursued. It is the relational facts of life. You have to have value that you bring to the relationship.
There are many different elements of value that have nothing to do with money. Make sure that your life is full of these types of enriching treasures to share with others.
Recently I met a woman who constantly bought people presents to gain friends. This strategy usually only works if there is something beyond the gifts that the potential friend can treasure.
Until tomorrow,
Gil Stieglitz