How can I know genuine friendship
In the last several decades it has become popular for certain stars in the sports and entertainment worlds to have an entourage. Every time you see them on television, they have 10-15 other people around them. I believe this practice began on the boxing scene with many of the top heavyweight contenders.
On top of his success, heavyweight champion Mike Tyson was one of the first that I remember seeing with an entourage. But something happened over the years — the entourage got smaller and eventually disappeared when Tyson started losing fights.
An entourage may seem like a group of friends who are there to support and protect the man or woman who is in the public eye, but they are most often only there to protect their own gravy train. They are actually only loyal to the cash that is rolling their way. And when the cash is no longer there, neither are they.
Solomon warns us of this truth — “Wealth makes many friends, but poverty drives them away.”
I would imagine that the famous and the wealthy have a difficult time developing relationships with people. It would seem that you would have to be suspicious of why they are trying to be your friend. Do they really want to be a friend or are they simply looking for some easy money or the chance to be seen with someone famous?
I would struggle with that if I were famous or wealthy. And because I feel this way I tend to shy away from the rich and famous on the few occasions I have met them. I don’t want them to feel like I want to know them just because of their fame and/or fortune. I haven’t even asked for autographs when I had the opportunity, such as with pro football player Walter Payton, when he walked into bookstore that I managed at one time.
The primary principle I think we can learn from this statement of Solomon’s lies in what true friendship is. A true friend is obviously one who doesn’t concern him or herself with the size of your bank account or the level of fame and influence you have. The external trappings are not important to a true friend. A true friend is there to love and support you when all the others have long since disappeared.
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