Have you ever been stunned by a friend because he or she very frankly and openly criticized you. I have. It is painful and even embarrassing. 

When it happens (and it's happened to me more than once) I usually want to crawl under a rock and lick my wounds. I have even sported with ideas of how I could get even with the one who would give me such an unsolicited wound. 

But I learned a proverb a few years ago that I cannot get out of my mind:

Wounds from a friend can be trusted. But an enemy multiplies kisses.

-Proverbs 27:6

Faithful are the wounds from a friend. That keeps ringing in my ears when I am surprised by criticism from someone who knows me and cares for me.

That little insight helps me to stop and listen long enough to see the truth behind what my friendly critic is saying. It makes me stop making excuses and start thinking about how God is using my friends to change my life.

Change is hard, but the friend is faithful; and so is the God who sent him.

Do you have any friends who have faithfully wounded you? Don't avoid them, but thank God for them. They often see your needs more than you do. If they are truly friends, they will love you in spite of your faults and in spite of how long it takes you to agree with them or make changes. 

It was Christ's faithful friendship that made him first confront us about our sins and then point us to the cross.  Thank you Jesus for being our most faithful friend and help us to cherish the faithful friends we have now.