What are the marks of a good friendship?

This spoke to me so I thought I would share.....

What are the marks of a good friendship?
> It shapes your character and reputation—for the good.
> Proverbs 27:17-19
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> "As iron sharpens iron" (27:17), a good friend will challenge what you think
and even who you are. As you test yourself against each other, you rub away
those qualities that are loose and weak. What's left is even stronger than when
you began. You sharpen each other in thought and in character.
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> A second image this proverb supplies about friendship is the mirror. When you
look in your mirror, you expect to see your own face. As you look close into
your own eyes, you can almost read your thoughts. But how startling it'd be to
look in your mirror some sleepy morning and see instead the thoughts of your
friend. That's how influential friendship is! For good or for bad, we rub off on each
other.
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> The best friendships are those where both persons are strong in their faith
and they encourage each other to grow stronger in it. This takes work, but when
you nurture friendships, you benefit from having someone to share with and
receive helpful correction from. The key to good friendships is mutuality—mutual
respect, mutual independence, mutual caring, and mutual submission.
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> Choose friends who sharpen you in good ways, instead of cutting you to pieces.
And provide the same service for your friends. (See also Ruth 1-4; Proverbs
17:17; 18:24; 1 Corinthians 13:4-8; James 5:13-20.)
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> Good Words to Remember:
> As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend …. As
in water face reflects face, so a man's heart reveals the man. Proverbs 27:17,
19
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> Today's Challenge:
> How do your friends "sharpen" you?
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