Man Cave For The Month of June

Scriptures 1Samuel 22:1-2 ; 1 Samuel 24:1-7

Time Line Leading Up TO Cave Experiences

David gets called and anointed to be the next king of Israel after God rejects Saul (1 Sam. 16:1-13) David goes into service for King Saul (1 Sam. 16:14-23) David defeats Goliath ( 1 Sam. 17:32-50) Saul becomes Jealous of David (1 Sam. 18:1-14) Saul tries to kill David (1 Sam. 19:1-10) David goes on the run from King Saul ( 1 Sam. 21) David begins hiding in caves from King Saul ( 1 Sam. Ch. 22-24) Also Read Ch. 25-31 as well for content

Week 1 6/2/24. Retreat To The Cave “I Need To Get Away” 1 Samuel 22:1-2 (Pastor A)

David goes on the run from king Saul who is jealous of him and wants to kill him. David has just been anointed king of Israel while rejected Saul is still on the throne. David’s love for God helps him to endure the trials that come along with the seat God gave him.

As men, like David the trials of life make us want to retreat, get away, and take a break. Reletively speaking, some times we need to. Detaching from responsibility and problems is necessary to be refreshed so you can be your best for your family, job, ministry etc.

Help men to understand it’s ok to take a break/need a break and to have or create an oasis to unwind and be and feel refreshed. Ultimately God provides this for us in our daily relationship with him.

Walk us through David’s experience of retreating to the cave and give us some practical principles that men can apply from David’s experience.

In your opening talk about man caves, maybe have pictures.

Talk about pro’s / con’s

Maybe talk about physical / Mental caves

Talk about how men sometimes process in silence

A FRIEND IN NEED IS A FRIEND INDEED

scripture

David at the Cave of Adullam

So David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. Soon his brothers and all his other relatives joined him there. 2 Then others began coming—men who were in trouble or in debt or who were just discontented—until David was the captain of about 400 men.

OPENING

MY DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS UPON READING THE CONTEXT OF OUR TEXT

I NOTICED THAT IT SHINES THE SPOTLIGHT ON

FRIENDSHIP THAT I BELIEVE WE CAN GLEAN A FEW THINGS FROM TODAY ABOUT FRIENDSHIPS

AFTER ALL WHAT’S A MAN CAVE WITHOUT FRIENDS TO SHARE IT WITH

BUT I TOOK THE LIBERTY TO LOOK UP BY WAY OF DEFINITION THE WORD FRIEND

AND THIS IS WHAT I FOUND

A Friend IS: Someone with whom you know and with whom you have an bond of mutual affection, typically exclusive of sexual or family relation

AND UMM..MY MEMORY WAS JARED

AND I WAS REMINDED OF ONE OF MY FAVORITE CHILDHOOD RAP GROUPS OF THE 80’S WHODINI WHO WROTE A RAP ABOUT FRIENDS

AND I BELIEVE THEY SUMMED UP SUPERBLY THE MEANING OF FRIENDSHIP..

WITH THEIR #4 CHART TOPING HIT SINGLE ENTITLED FRIENDS

I MIGHT LOOSE SOME OF YALL BUT IT’LL BE RELEVANT.. BUT FOR THE SAKE OF TIME IN THE LYRICS OF THER SONG….. THEY RAISED THE RELEVANT QUESTION ABOUT FRIENDS … HOW MANY OF US HAVE THEM ….. FRIENDS ….ONES WE CAN DEPEND ON

Friends

Is a word we use everyday Most the time we use it in the wrong way Now you can look the word up, again and again But the dictionary doesn't know the meaning of friends

And if you ask me, you know, I couldnt be much help Because A friend is somebody you judge for yourself Some are ok, and they treat you real cool But some mistake kindness for being a fool

We like to be with some, because they're funny Others come around when they need some money Some you grew up with, around the way And you're still real close too this very day

Homeboys through the Summer, Winter, Spring and Fall And then there's some we wish we never knew at all And this list goes on, again and again But these are the people that we call friends

FRIENDS

AIGHT YALL COME ON BACK

I THINK YALL GET THE POINT..

ONCE AGAIN THIS text this morning highlights AN AMAZING FRIENDSHIP WITHIN CONTEXT BUT IT ALSO HIGLIGHTS a highly recognized and critically acclaimed biblical character of the Old Testament named King David. You Bible readers know him he’s Jesse’s Son… and consequently he’s a RELATIVE of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and not only that but…He’s the second and most famous king that reigned in all Israel

And the timeline of our text that tabloids - his tenure helps us to understand that he has just been recently anointed and appointed as Israels new king according to ch.16

and what’s interesting is that Saul his predecessor at the time of the text (AND FATHER OF HIS BEST FRIEND JOHNATHAN) is rejected by God, but still on the throne

And i don’t know who i came to preach to today,.. but can i submit to you … that somebody might be just keeping your seat warm

because according ch. 15:23 God rejects Saul,.. but he doesn’t kill him

So in essence David who has just been anointed to the seat, has to wait for Saul to die to occupy it

CAN I MIND YOUR BUSINESS FOR A MINUTE….. AT LEAST I ASKED

But has God ever put.. anybody in here … in this position…. whereby all you can do… is wait

his promise is good … his word according to proverbs 30:5; is flawless so it’s good ….but his timing is a little iffy

here’s the JUXTAPOSITION of the text

SOMETIMES … you will have to WAIT …. for GOD to work it out ……in somebody else ……for your blessing to manifest

because while you waiting on God….. to work it out in them….. can i suggest…. That he’s producing something in you

I wish i had 3 witnesses

And the Hebrew writer said that Jesus learned obedience through what he suffered

Paul picks it up …and he that begun a good work…. in you will complete it …

Now don’t sit there and look at me like i’m crazy

Where the folk that’s waiting on God to work it out in your children …so you can have a piece of mind… holler at me this morning …

anybody in here….. waiting on God ….to work it out in your spouse ..now if you sitting next to them tread lightly …. but holler at me this morning

where ya at … where ya at.. if you just waiting on God to work it out in your boss …make some noise in this place

SOMEBODY SHOUT, WORK IT OUT GOD

…

Sometimes he has to work it out

in somebody else…. but he’s using that situation to work on you..

i believe that this is how Paul came to the conclusion

AND WE KNOW …

THAT ALL THINGS

WORK TOGETHER.. FOR MY GOOD

I WISH YOU KNEW HOW IT’S GONNA WORK FOR YA

Relatively speaking

Isaiah 10:5; helps us to understand that God will use what’s close to us…. in an effort to work in us…. so that he can ultimately work through us

TO MY MARRIED MEN… NEWSFLASH, SHE’S ANOINTED TO GET ON YOUR NERVES

AND QUITE FRANKLY SHE AUTHORIZED

(NOW LADIES THAT DON’T MEAN YOU HAVE TO PRACTICE DAILY)

CAN I SUGGEST THAT YOU AIN’T AT THE WRONG HOUSE MY BROTHER..

YOU JUST IN THE WRONG SEASON

YOU JUST AIN’T COUGHT UP TO HIS WILL

BUT WHEN YOU CATCH UP TO HIS WILL… YOU GONNA REALIZE IT WAS ALL WORKING

can i raise a relevant question that springs from this narrative..

what do you do when that which is desirable disappoints you

Because… David get’s promoted and with promotion comes persecution

AND David get’s pushed… into a cave

BUT WHAT DO YOU DO… BECAUSE DAVID GET’S PROMOTED WHICH WOULD SEEM DESIRABLE BUT THEN HE ENDS UP IN A CAVE

YOU EVER BEEN DISAPPOINTED ….BY WHAT’S DESIRABLE

CHILDREN ARE A BLESSING FROM THE LORD BUT YOU EVER BEEN DISAPPOINTED…

HE THAT FINDETH A WIFE FINDS A GOOD THING AND OBTAINS FAVOR

THE BLESSING OF THE LORD MAKETH RICH AND WITH IT COMES NO SORROW DIDN’T SAY YOU WOULD’NT BE DISAPPOINTED DAVID OBTAINS WHAT’S DESIRABLE AND…. IT DISAPPOINTS

AND HE ENDS UP HAVING TO FLEE TO A CAVE

HE’S THE NEWLY APPOINTED KING………… AND HE LIVING IN A CAVE

FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES

HE GOT PUSHED INTO A CAVE

LADIES PARTICULARLY WIVES….CAN YOU USE YOUR SANCTIFIED MIND FOR A MOMENT

ALL BROTHERMAN TRYNA DO…….. IS GET HIS CONJUGAL NEEDS MET….,…. AND YOU PUSH HIM ……………INTO A CAVE

LET’S BE REAL ….

BECAUSE THE CAVE ….. REPRESENTS

DISCONNECT

CONFUSION

WARFARE

HERE IT IS ….

2. A SOFT ANSWER TURNS AWAY WRATH……….. BUT YOU TALKING TO HIM LIKE YOU CRAZY ………...AND YOU EXPECT HIM TO REMAIN CIVIL …AND NOW HE’S IN A CAVE …

BECAUSE COME ON LADIES……… THE BROTHERS AIN’T WRONG ALL THE TIME ………

SOMETIMES IT’S YALL MOUTH!!!

CAN I SUGGEST…..DON’T AGITATE THE THE BEAR AND THEN CRY WHEN HE ROAR

NO DIDDY !!! I AIN’T CONDONING NONSENSE

BUT GET THAT BROTHER OUT THE CAVE !!!

DAVIDS IN A CAVE

AND I COME TO ASK THIS MORNING …IS ANYBODY IN HERE… IN A CAVE IN THIS SEASON

DAVID IS IN A LITERAL CAVE

AND UHHH…HE DON’T HAVE ALL THE CREATURE COMFORTS YOU HAVE IN YOUR MAN CAVE

BUT THE CAVE HE’S IN IS SYMBOLIC OF HIS EMOTIONAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITION

BUT ONE THING I LEARNED ABOUT DAVID IS HE PINNED SOME OF THE BEST PSALMS IN THE CAVE …. HE GOING THROUGH BUT HE’S SPIRITUALLY IN TACK

BUT RELETIVELY SPEAKING……..

HE DON’T HAVE A 75’ FLAT SCREEN IN THERE

AIN’T NO RECLINER IN THERE

AIN’T NO PLAYSTATION 5 IN THERE

NO MEMORABILIA OF HIS FAVORITE TEAM TO TAKE HIS MIND OFF WHAT HE’S GOING THROUGH IN THERE

FOR THE DRINKERS IN THE HOUSE HE AIN’T GOT A WET BAR FULLY STOCKED WITH FINE WINES & LIQUOR … NO CASAMIGOS… HENNY… OR CROWN ROYAL APPLE IN THERE

ALL HE GOT… IS GOD…. WITH HIM IN THE CAVE

AND CAN I SUGGEST THAT THERE COMES A TIME WHEN ALL THIS IS FINE BUT IT WON’T SOLVE NOTHING

BUT IF GOD BE FOR YOU …. HE’S MORE THAN A WORLD AGAINST YOU….

IT DON’T MATTER THE SITUATION

THE CIRCUMSTANCE

OR THE CAVE

BUT IF GOD BE FOR YOU

SOMEBODY HOLLAR IF YOU KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT

AS I MOVE CAN I SUGGEST THAT DAVID WOULD HAVE NEVER MADE IT TO THE CAVE WITHOUT TWO THINGS

BECAUSE IN ESSENCE ( YOU DON’T WANNA HEAR THIS ) BUT THE CAVE SAVED HIS LIFE

BUT TWO THINGS HE HAD ON HIS SIDE

GOD

AND A TRUE FRIEND

NOTICE WHAT PRECEDED DAVID FLEEING TO THE CAVE

1SAMUEL 18:7 This was their song:

“Saul has killed his thousands,

and David his ten thousands!”

8 This made Saul very angry. “What’s this?” he said. “They credit David with ten thousands and me with only thousands. Next they’ll be making him their king!” 9 So from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.

10 The very next day a tormenting spirit from God overwhelmed Saul, and he began to rave in his house like a madman

SAUL BECAME JEALOUS OF DAVID

HAD TORMENTING SPIRIT FROM THE LORD THAT DROVE HIM CRAZY

WANTED TO KILL DAVID …AND WAS AFRAID OF HIM

AND DAVID HAD TWO THINGS WORKING FOR HIM

GOD

AND A TRUE FRIEND

NOW CONSEQUENTLY JOHNATHAN WHO WAS SAULS SON WAS DAVID’S TRUE FRIEND

AND THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT I LEARNED ABOUT THE FRIENDSHIP BOND BETWEEN JOHNATHAN AND DAVID THAT I BELIEVE WE CAN LEARN FROM

JOHNATHAN DIDN’T ABANDON DAVID WHEN HE WAS DOWN

YOU WANT A FRIEND WHO WON’T ABANDON YOU WHEN YOU DOWN..

REMEMBER DAVID HAS BEEN PUSHED TO A CAVE

AND BEFORE THIS DAVID ENJOYED THE FELLOWSHIP AND APPROVAL OF THEN ENTIRE ISRAELITE COMMUNITY EVEN SAUL WHO IS NOW DAVID’S ADVERSARY IN THE TEXT WAS DOWN WITH DAVID

BUT THEN SAUL’S POSTURE CHANGED TOWARDS DAVID OUT OF JEALOUSY

REMEMBER I READ IT TO YOU IN CHAPTER 18

SAUL WHO IS JOHNATHAN’S FATHER EVEN PUT A BOUTY ON DAVIDS HEAD BUT JOHNATHAN DIDN’T ABANDON HIM

1 SAMUEL 19:1 Saul now urged his servants and his son Jonathan to assassinate David. But Jonathan, because of his strong affection for David, 2 told him what his father was planning. “Tomorrow morning,” he warned him, “you must find a hiding place out in the fields. 3 I’ll ask my father to go out there with me, and I’ll talk to him about you. Then I’ll tell you everything I can find out.

AND I BELIEVE GOD… WAS WORKING THROUGH JOHNATHAN’S LOYALTY

TO SAVE DAVID’S LIFE

AND YOU OUGHT TO THANK GOD FOR LOYAL FRIENDS … I’M TALKING ABOUT YOUR DAY 1’S

ONES YOU CAN TURN YOUR BACK ON AND NOT WORRY ABOUT GETTING STABBED IN IT

MAKE SOME NOISE IF YOU GOT A LOYAL FRIEND …….

ONE THAT WILL SPEAK UP FOR YOU

ONE THAT WILL DEFEND YOUR HONOR ….CAN’T NOBODY SPEAK ILL OF YOU WHEN THEY AROUND

ONE THAT WILL GET OUT THE BED FOR YOU IF NECESSARY

THEY GOT YOUR BACK

NOT ON NO NONSENSE BUT THEY LAGIT GOT YOUR BACK

PROVERBS 18:24 SAYS THERE’S A FRIEND THAT STICKS CLOSER THAN A BROTHER

THANK GOD FOR THE FRIEND THAT LOANED YOU A TIE FOR THE INTERVIEW

THE ONE THAT TOLD YOU TO GO HOME WHEN YOU WERE MAD AT YOUR WIFE

THANK GOD FOR THE FRIEND THAT WAS YOUR SPONSOR IN (NA)

THE FRIEND THAT YOU DON’T SEE EVERYDAY BUT WHEN YOU SEE HIM YALL PICK UP WHERE YALL LEFT OFF

HOLLAR IF YOU GOT A TRUE FRIEND THAT GOT YOUR BACK

AND WON’T ABANDON YOU WHEN YOU DOWN

JOHNATHAN PRAYED FOR DAVID… HE WAS HIS INTERCESSOR (GOD / MAN)

YOU REALLY GOT A FRIEND IF THAT FRIEND CAN PRAY PARTICULARLY INTERCEDE FOR YOU

IF YOU GOT A FRIEND THAT WILL GO TO GOD ON YOUR BEHALF THAT’S GOLDEN….

IF I HAD TIME I WOULD TELL YOU THAT THE HEBREW BOYS IN THE BOOK OF DANIEL WOULD TELL YOU THE BENEFIT OF HAVING A FRIEND THAT CAN PRAY FOR YOU

LOT IN GENESIS 18; WOULD TELL YOU THE BENEFIT OF HAVING AN INTERCESSOR

PETER IN LUKE 22:31-34; WOULD TELL YOU THE BENEFIT OF HAVING AN INTERCESSOR

WHERE MY PRAYING FATHERS AND PRAYING HUSBANDS .. MAKE SOME NOISE IN THIS PLACE

JOHNATHAN PRAYS FOR DAVID

BUT WATCH THIS YOU NEED A FRIEND THAT CAN NOT ONLY TALK TO GOD BUT TALK TO MAN ON YOUR BEHALF

BECAUSE AFTER JOHNATHAN TALKED TO GOD ABOUT IT……. HE THEN TALKED TO HIS BIOLOGICAL FATHER SAUL AND GOT HIM TO CHANGE HIS MIND ABOUT KILLING DAVID LONG ENOUGH FOR HIM TO ESCAPE TO A CAVE

1 SAMUEL 19:4 The next morning Jonathan spoke with his father about David, saying many good things about him. “The king must not sin against his servant David,” Jonathan said. “He’s never done anything to harm you. He has always helped you in any way he could. 5 Have you forgotten about the time he risked his life to kill the Philistine giant and how the Lord brought a great victory to all Israel as a result? You were certainly happy about it then. Why should you murder an innocent man like David? There is no reason for it at all!”

6 So Saul listened to Jonathan and vowed, “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be killed.”

7 Afterward Jonathan called David and told him what had happened. Then he brought David to Saul, and David served in the court as before

JOHNATHAN INTERCEDED FOR DAVID

CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT KIND OF CHANGE… WE WOULD SEE IN OUR FAMILIES IF AS MEN WE BEGAN PRAYING FOR..

NEIGHBORHOODS

SCHOOLS &

GOVERNMENT

IF WE AS MEN ROSE UP AND STARTED PRAYING ABOUT STUFF

BECAUSE PART OF BEING AN INTERCESSOR IS FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD

YOU CAN PRAY ABOUT IT BUT WHAT’S THE NEXT STEP

AFTER YOU TALK TO GOD ABOUT YOU GOTTA LET HIM USE YOU TO HELP SQUASH THE BEEF BETWEEN FRIENDS

JOHNATHAN WENT TO HIS FATHER AND SAID NOT ON MY WATCH

NOT ANOTHER BLACK BLACK MAN DYING ON MY WATCH

IF I CAN GO TO ANOTHER BROTHER AND HELP SQUASH THE BEEF THEN USE ME GOD

BUT WILL SOMEBODY SHOUT NOT ON MY WATCH

WE NEED TO BRING BACK THE OLD HEAD

IF THE OLD HEAD KNEW YOU HAD BEEF BACK IN THE DAY HE WOULD MAKE YALL FIGHT AND SHAKE HANDS

BUT WIN LOOSE OR DRAW .. YOU LIVED TO TALK ABOUT IT

SOMEBODY SHOUT NOT ON MY WATCH

JOHNATHAN WAS SOMEBODY DAVID COULD VENT TO

MEN SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED TO BLOW OFF SOME STEAM

TALK IT OUT SO YOU DON’T ACT IT OUT ...

ESSENTIALLY SAUL SLID RIGHT BACK ON HIS NUT MISSION TRYING TO KILL DAVID (REMEMBER IN CH. 19 JOHNATHAN INTERCEDES,.. HE TALKS TO HIS FATHER TO DISSUADE HIM FROM KILLING DAVID)

BUT JOHNATHANS EFFORTS DIDN’T LAST

AND THAT’S WHY MEN YOU ESPECIALLY NEED A FRIEND LIKE JOHNATHAN

SOMEBODY YOU CAN VENT TO ABOUT WHAT YOU WANNA DO WHEN YOU FRUSTRATED

AND THEY PRAY YOU THROUGH AND TALK YOU OUT OF IT AND THEY NOT JUDGE YOU

AND THEY KNOW HOW TO SEPARATE YOUR FELLING FROM WHO YOU REALLY ARE

NOW LET ME SAY THIS… THE BEST PERSON YOU CAN EVER VENT TO IS GOD IN PRAYER (READ PSALM 13) AND YOU’LL SEE WHAT I MEAN

BUT SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED TO GET IT OFF YOUR CHEST WITH THE HOMMIE

WHERE MY BRO’S AT ...MAKE SOME NOISE IF YOU KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT

NOW MAKE SURE THE HOMIE IS PREFERABLY SPIRITUAL OR AT LEAST HE’S SOMEBODY THAT’S NOT GONNA LEAD YOU TO DO SOMETHING YOU GONNA REGRET

SEE LET ME TELL YOU WHY YOU NEED A FRIEND YOU CAN VENT TOO AND GET YOUR NEGATIVE EMOTIONS OUT SO YOU DON’T ACT THEM OUT

AND THAT’S WHAT I LOVE ABOUT JOHNATHAN

BECAUSE HERE’S THE CAVEAT

DAVID GOES TO JOHNATHAN TO TELL HIM WHEN HE VENT’S …. YOUR DADY TRIPPING

BECAUSE REMEMBER JOHNATHAN TALKS TO SAUL AND IT SUBSIDES SAULS DESIRE TO KILL DAVID BUT THEN THEN THE NOTION TO KILL DAVID EMERGES AGAIN

1 SAMUEL 20:1 David now fled from Naioth in Ramah and found Jonathan. “What have I done?” he exclaimed. “What is my crime? How have I offended your father that he is so determined to kill me?”

IM GLAD DAVID HAD A SAFE SPACE WHERE HE COULD VENT AND NOT BE JUDGED OR LOOKED AT CRAZY

ALTHOUGH DAVID WAS TALKING ABOUT JOHNATHAN’S DADY HE WAS RIGHT AND JOHNATHAN WAS MATURE ENOUGH AND LOYAL ENOUGH TO LET HIM GET IT OFF

A LOT OF TIMES MEN ARE LISTENED TOO BUT NOT HEARD

CAN I RAISE THE QUESTION THIS MORNING

DO YOU HEAR THE PAIN AND DISAPPOINTMENT BEING COMMUNICATED TO YOU FROM THE MAN IN YOUR LIFE

IMAGINE WHAT DAVID FELT

I RISKED MY LIFE FOR YOU….. AND NOW YOU WANNA KILL ME

IMAGINE IF JOHNATHAN WOULD HAVE SHUT THAT DOWN ON ACCOUNT OF THAT BEING HIS FATHER…. HE WAS STILL WRONG

HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU NOT HEARD THE PAIN AND DISAPPOINTMENT OF YOUR MAN

YOUR FATHER ECT..

JOHNATHAN WAS A FRIEND DAVID COULD TRUST

1 SAMUEL 20;8 Show me this loyalty as my sworn friend—for we made a solemn pact before the Lord—or kill me yourself if I have sinned against your father. But please don’t betray me to him!”

JOHNATHAN AFFIRMS HIS LOYALTY

1 SAMUEL 20:35 The next morning, as agreed, Jonathan went out into the field and took a young boy with him to gather his arrows. 36 “Start running,” he told the boy, “so you can find the arrows as I shoot them.” So the boy ran, and Jonathan shot an arrow beyond him. 37 When the boy had almost reached the arrow, Jonathan shouted, “The arrow is still ahead of you. 38 Hurry, hurry, don’t wait.” So the boy quickly gathered up the arrows and ran back to his master. 39 He, of course, suspected nothing; only Jonathan and David understood the signal. 40 Then Jonathan gave his bow and arrows to the boy and told him to take them back to town.

41 As soon as the boy was gone, David came out from where he had been hiding near the stone pile. Then David bowed three times to Jonathan with his face to the ground. Both of them were in tears as they embraced each other and said good-bye, especially David.

42 At last Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for we have sworn loyalty to each other in the Lord’s name. The Lord is the witness of a bond between us and our children forever.” Then David left, and Jonathan returned to the town.

PROVERBS 17:17 A friend is always loyal,

and a brother is born to help in time of need.

ARE YOUR FRIENDS LOYAL

AND CAN YOU COUNT ON THEM

ARE THEY JUST THERE FOR THE GOOD TIMES OR IF YOU REALLY NEEDED THEM WOULD THEY SHOW UP

PROVERBS 18:24 There are “friends” who destroy each other,

but a real friend sticks closer than a brother

DO YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FRIENDS YOU NEED TO CUT AND FRIENDS YOU NEED TO KEEP

PROVERBS 27:17 As iron sharpens iron,

so a friend sharpens a friend

DO YOUR FRIENDS PUSH YOU TO BE BETTER