Choosing Good Friends

The Messilat Yesharim discusses how harmful a bad choice of friends can be to a person. They can bring ruin to one’s soul, his possessions, and his entire reputation.

One must recognize the danger of flattery. It is particularly important to stay away from friends that are nothing more than flatterers. Such people act with deceit, have an agenda, and are certainly not true friends.

There is nothing better for a person than to seek out friends of integrity. He will open his eyes to that which he is blind. When he errs, he will admonish him out of his love for him, saving him from every evil.

Often a person is unable to see his own faults. His true friend will see and will warn him to improve his ways, so that he will be protected from those dangers.

By seeking the advice of men of integrity, one saves himself from his own faults and weaknesses. We must take great care to surround ourselves only with positive, sincere, and idealistic friends.

It is important that we stay focused on our ultimate purpose in this world. We need to constantly work at self improvement, and growing spiritually. Our choice of good friends, can be a great help in achieving these goals.