I once heard that the book of Proverbs has 30 chapters so we can read one every day of the month. Of course this is fanciful as the book wasn’t arranged in this way for that purpose. However, I’ve never been one to disregard advice, nonsensical or otherwise. So  I try to add a chapter of Proverbs per day to my daily Bible readings. Don’t ask me what I do in 31 day months…stay focused y’all.

I’ve always been fascinated by the Bible. Not to sound pious, but I actually really love to read the Bible. I have a weird habit of reading in absolute darkness, on my mobile, well before sunrise. It makes me feel like it’s day one of Creation and it’s just me, God and newly formed firmament. Lol. The Bible is odd, sometimes you read something you’ve read tons of times before and it just hits you in a brand new way! I love that. Recently, I’ve gotten into reading bits of the Catholic Bible. I think that’s because the Bible reading at a recent wedding I attended came from the book of Tobit, which is of course only available in the Catholic version of the Bible. The entire book of Tobit is worth a read, seriously. Especially if you ever need assurance that God is the Don of connecting dots…or like me you sometimes suspect that those prayers you whisper up to heaven don’t actually reach because of birds flying south or something.

In the Catholic Bible, the book of Sirach comes right before Proverbs and as it’s also a (self-acclaimed) ‘Book of Wisdom’, I’ve started to read it daily. It’s at many times humorous yet wise, and so incredibly real. I found this passage in Sirach 6 on friendship insighftul.

Friendship

 ⁴ A wicked soul will destroy the one who has it. For it gladly provides enemies for him…⁵ A sweet word multiplies friends and mitigates enemies. And thankful words abound in a good man. . ⁶ Allow many to be at peace with you, but allow one out a thousand to be your counselor.  ⁷ When you make friends, don’t be too quick to trust them; make sure that they have proved themselves. ⁸ Some people will be your friends only when it is convenient for them, but they won’t stand by you in trouble. [For there is a friend according to his own time, but he will not remain in the day of tribulation]. ⁹ Others will fall out with you over some argument, and then embarrass you by letting everyone know about it. ^10-11 Others will sit at your table as long as things are going well; they will stick to you like your shadow and give orders to your servants, but they will not stand by you in trouble. [A friend, if he remains steadfast, will be to you as you are to yourself, and he will act with faithfulness among those of your household] ¹² If your situation takes a turn for the worse, they will turn against you, and you won’t be able to find them anywhere. 

¹³ Stay away from your enemies and be on guard against your friends. ¹⁴ A loyal friend is like a safe shelter; find one, and you have found a treasure. [A faithful friend is a strong shelter, and whoever has found one has found a treasure]. ¹⁵ Nothing else is as valuable; there is no way of putting a price on it. [Nothing is comparable to a faithful friend, and no weight of silver or gold is worth more than the goodness of his fidelity] ¹⁶ A loyal friend is like a medicine that keeps you in good health. Only those who fear the Lord can find such a friend. [A faithful friend is a medicine for life and immortality; and those who fear the Lord will find one]. ¹⁷ A person who fears the Lord can make real friendships, because he will treat his friends as he does himself [ or because his friend will be like him].^[b] 

How lovely, and very true!

PS: Happy Independence day Nigeria, may we truly be friends to one another in this nation. Hopefully one day soon we’ll celebrate independence from greed and selfishness the way we’re celebrating release from colonialism.