One with many friends may be harmed,
but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24 CSB
The following is not original with me. I heard it from someone else many years ago, but the longer I live and the more people I meet the more I am convinced of its truth.
We meet countless numbers of people as we journey through life. All those people we meet will basically fit into one of four categories.
Those who add.
Those who subtract.
Those who multiply.
Those who divide.
I know…I know…, but before you start laughing, read on…
Those Who Add
Those people who add to you are always a joy to be around. You always feel uplifted and encouraged after visiting with them. They always leave you with a sense of having more than you started with. We all need people like this in our lives.
Those Who Subtract
Those who subtract are exactly the opposite of those who add. These are the emotional vampires that will suck you dry, leaving you feeling drained. That’s because it’s always all about them, their needs and what they can get out of you. We’ve all met the type.
Those Who Divide
People who divide always leave you feeling off balance and conflicted, uncertain of where you stand. They seem to challenge everything: your relationships, beliefs, loyalties, etc. They will often play one relationship off against another. It can also be very hard to pin down exactly what their motive is. These people are dangerous and need to be avoided at all costs.
Those Who Multiply
Those who multiply are those who can help you go further faster and do more quicker than you could have ever done otherwise. Multipliers are very rare. That’s because a person has to have lived a long time in the same direction in order to be one. Multipliers bring a wealth of wisdom and experience that can help you avoid mistakes and make better choices. If you find a multiplier who is willing to invest in you, cherish that relationship and pay whatever price necessary to maintain it. Your life will be enriched in ways you can’t even imagine.
What Do You Think?
So, what do you think as you read over the above? Can you identify people in your life that fit into these categories? Are there relationships you need to make more of an investment in? Do you need to limit how much access certain people have to your life? Learning to discern the people around us is a critical skill we must develop as we proceed on our journey of living in the Reign.
M
Living in the Reign 
We all have the need to categorize people and put them into certain boxes so we know what to do with them, how to respond to them. We do this mainly because of our own insecurities. I believe there is no one out there that just fits one category all the time. Depending on the situation, we can fit into any one of those categories or be a combination of a few. As we go through life we have the ability to change either way, better or worse. And who is the one that decides that, if a person has changed for better or worse. We just see as our own abilities allow us to see. Each of these categories need help if that is the only thing that identifies a person. People are being placed in our lives for a reason. Maybe we are to learn how to deal, lead or help the “deviders” and the ones that “substract”? Maybe we are to help the ones that “multiply” and “add” because they do it all the time and are expected to do so. They also will run out of energy at some point in time. I love to be in a circle of people that represent all categories because each of them will challenge me in a different way. God is working in each of us and I never want Him to stop challenging me. May God bless you.
These are some great things to think about, Miss Anna. Thanks for sharing!