Outline:

I. Consistent in Adversity (Prov 17:17; 18:24; 27:10)

II. Candor and Counsel (Prov 27:6; 27:9)

III. Covering Offenses (Prov 17:9; 16:28)

Personal Reflection & Small Group Questions

Please complete this study on your own, then bring it to your small group for discussion.

1. Looking back over your notes from this week’s sermon and text, what particularly caught your attention, challenged or confused you?

2. Who was your childhood best friend? What made them a good friend?

3. How does the Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) serve as the ultimate blueprint for self-giving love. How does sin distort this design into self-serving networking?

4. Proverbs 27:6 speaks of the ‘faithful wounds’ of a friend. When was the last time a friend loved you enough to tell you a hard truth? How did you receive it, and how does the gospel free us from being defensive?

5. How does Christ calling you a friend move your affections for him?

6. Proverbs 17:9 calls us to cover an offense, while 16:28 warns against whispering. In a culture that loves to gossip and ‘cancel,’ what does it practically look like to cover a friend’s sin with grace without ignoring a need for repentance?