How do you know what level your friendship is at with someone? How do you know if you can really trust someone? How do you know if the people around you are truly your friends or they just want to get something from you?

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ⁴ Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud ⁵ or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. ⁶ It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. ⁷ Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

You know you have real friends when you have people around you that demonstrate these characteristics. So let me ask a few question:

Are there people around you that are patient and kind to you when others would not be?

Do they rejoice with you when things go well rather than compete with you to one up you?

Are they willing to submit to you and you to them in a given circumstance or do one of you always have to get your way?

Do they want to be around you or do you seem to be irritating to them?

Are they quick to forgive? I am so blessed with a few folks in my life who are very close to me and are very gracious. Praise God. He knows exactly what I need.

Will they allow you to believe lies because they don’t care enough to confront you? I have also been blessed with people who are willing to tell me the truth.

Will they give up on you or will they be there through every circumstance both good and bad?

I can honestly say there are a lot of people in my life, but there is a group that I think will never give up and will endure through every circumstance. Those are the people you know are your friends.

Do you have these types of people in your life? People who are willing to truly demonstrate biblical love? Are you this type of person?