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Proverbs 17:17
"A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity."
When someone loves you, almost as much as God loves all of us, keep them. Because that is a true friend. In fact, that is the true definition of a friend. But in order to determine the authenticity of our friendships, we have to first know what love is. As well as what it means to love someone.
Love is more than just expressing affection in hopes of courtship (or lust). It is an action word. When you love someone, you seek to encourage, empower, and improve them throughout their walk with Christ and help them apply their faith in all aspects of their life. Love scolds you to mold you. If you love someone, you won’t let them get into or persist in things that are not of God. No matter how bad their situation may get, or has been, we shouldn’t encourage violence, we shouldn’t let our brothers and sisters take to the streets and the nightlife to seek income or "lifestyle improvements", nor allow any justification for it. We aren’t supposed to be "yes-men", and agree with our friends because it is convenient for us or because we don’t want to ruin a friendship. Or lose whatever status we hold with them. But instead pray with them.
And through all of that, if a friend consistently performs these actions, as well as other actions and notions I’ve failed to cover, whether the times are good or bad, that friend becomes a brother or sister. We are children of adversity, and one of our goals in this world is to overcome it. We are here to face the adversity that the world sets before us, but we can’t do it alone. We need to pray that God will provide and equip us with the knowledge and instruments we need, then we need to seek out a fellow kingdom-minded brothers and sisters to walk with us and help challenge the adversity and push the message that God wants us to push to the rest of his children.
Friendships may endure for a season, but brotherhood is everlasting.