Are my friendships wise?

Good friends... bad friends. We all have them. But who are your closest friends? Who do you go to when you are in need of counsel or help?

"The problem is not conversation or acquaintance or even the occasional hang-out. The problem arises when bad friends replace our inner circle of godly, wise friends. The real problem happens when they replace Scripture and Jesus-loving friends... when they become our inner circle, our wise counsel, or our support during trial, we will be overcome by their foolishness and become fools ourselves." -James Pruch

A really good question that stings...

The following quote is from John Piper.

“Does your mouth usually heal people with words of grace and love and kindness, or does it wound people with insensitive, harsh, critical, unhelpful words?”

Yeah... I know. It stings doesn't it? I've read it several times (and even quoted it in my sermon last week) and it still stings - especially the word "usually". May God help us all to use our mouths to heal and not wound people!