17 Iron sharpens iron,
    and one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17 ESV)

The importance of relationships should be very obvious. However, in many cases, men especially, do not form close relationships with other men. I was brought up to be very independent and my father valued personal resilience. Throughout the years I can count few close friends that he had and I think that made him a lonely man.

I have a lot of people I count as friends, but really have never had more than a few guys who I was really close to. However, I do very much recognize the need to keep that select few very close indeed.

Watching others navigate the waters of make bonding through the years I have made a few observations. First, men tend to have only two types of friends: drinking buddies and brothers. Everyone else is just an acquaintance. Now a brother can, and often is, closer than blood. They are the ones who will literally give you the shirt off their backs. They are the ones you call at 2am when circumstances call for it and you know they will pick up.

The importance of a brother (and for you ladies a close sister), is as our scripture states. He is there to sharpen us and to be our conscience. We have to be willing to open everything in our lives to them, and that last part can be the hardest. But, it is the most rewarding.