Faith

3 Types of Friends Every Leader Needs

Oct 27, 2024

The few—but deep—friendships I’ve made as an adult are priceless to me. We swap secrets and clothes between one another like sisters, and we celebrate milestones together. We navigate through the messiness of expectations, technology, and loneliness. We feed each other’s children and water each other’s plants. We are different from one another but complimentary in the most divine ways. These women help me grow as a business owner, wife, mother, and friend. Whether they realize it or not, they certainly have a seat at my “king’s table.” If you’ve never heard that expression before, allow me to introduce it to you. “Every leader needs a king’s table,” refers to one of the greatest leaders of all time, King David, and his small group of confidants—the three types of friends every leader needs by their side. Here is the takeaway:

A friend like Joab. This is the person you want by your side when things get tough. They care about justice and accountability and will fight your dirtiest battles with you. If you called them in the middle of the night, they would ask, “What are we going to do about this problem?.”
A friend like Nathan. This person is a wise mentor who lovingly calls you out when your actions don’t align with Christ’s Word. They have foresight and awareness and tend to redirect you toward a better path, communicating clearly and directly with you.
A friend like Jonathan. This is the person with the purest of intentions, integrity, and unmovable faith. They believe in you, even when you don’t believe in yourself. God gifted them with an unwavering ability to love deeply, and they don’t care about your status, your wealth, or your clean house. They love you and are for you.

If you’re in need of friendships like these, I hear you. It’s difficult to prioritize quality time with friends when there are bills to pay and mouths to feed. I get it, but cultivating a “king’s table” of deeper friendships is worth it. I’m someone who doesn’t want a lot of shallow relationships because I really don’t have the time for it. My advice for you (and for myself) is to take our time. Intentionally seeking out three people for these specific roles will require patience, discernment, and vulnerable conversations. We’re not exploiting, or rushing, or persuading anyone. We’re organically stepping into faith-based friendships that will help us steward our leadership. Eventually, we will humbly welcome them to our tables of reciprocal accountability and unconditional support.

Oct 27, 2024 | Faith