Tiffanie Villasana

Proverbs  27:9 

Perfume and incense refresh the soul: so does the sweetness of a man’s friend by heartfelt advice.

Reflection: 

My sense of smell is my most favorite sense. Those who know me well know I love a good candle. Same goes for perfumes. I have my tried and true and I rotate them for different seasons. I joke that I might be part human/part bloodhound. For me, a certain smell can elicit certain emotions and bring a sense of comfort or nostalgia almost immediately. 

Proverbs tells us that a good friendship, especially one that provides good counsel, is just like a good scent. It can be immediate yet lasting, strong but yet pleasant. 

I love an honest friend who can tell me positive and upbeat things but can also be trusted to tell me the hard things. Heartfelt advice is best heard when it comes from someone who loves us deeply – someone who is so concerned with our molding that they have enough courage to tell us what we need to hear and when we need to hear it. I think about the time my sister saw me in a certain outfit. She gave me a hug, whispered in my ear that my hair looked great (she’s a hairstylist) but that I was to never wear the shirt I had on ever again. We still laugh about it to this day and that shirt was promptly donated!

I know that’s a superficial example, but we all know the kind of advice and the kind of friend Proverbs is talking about here. It’s the kind of advice that comes from a friend or neighbor who is more selflessly devoted to our well-being than in how we could benefit them. The hard times in life do not drive away these types of friends. The hard conversations do not drive them away either. Rather it pulls them closer. Why? Because these friends are more committed to bringing out the best in each other. 

When my mom died, a good friend spoke about her friendship with my mom and quoted the following about their relationship at her funeral: 

“I love you not only for what you are but for what I am when I am with you. I love you not only for what you have made of yourself but for what you are making of me. I love you for the part of me that you bring out.” 

I am thankful for the people who refresh and feed my soul. Friends who bring out the better part of me. Friends and neighbors who stick by me in hard times and in fun times. Friends who teach me more about Christ because they love like Christ. Friends and neighbors who volunteer me for things at church (like my writing of these devotionals), not because they think I have all the time in the world but because they believe in me and are committed to seeing me grow in Christ while serving others.

It’s a gift to find “your people.”  When we find them we should cherish them, and never take them for granted.  A good friend adds a good scent to life – especially when the world around us smells pretty foul!

Prayer:

God, thank you for my people. Thank you for the ways they have molded me and helped shape me through their actions and their words. Help me to not take them or their advice in life for granted. I pray they know how much they are loved and appreciated. Help me to reciprocate and be just as great to them and others as they have been to me. Amen.