Is genuine friendship something that you value? When you think of your friends, who are some of the people that come to mind? What are some characteristics of an individual who you would consider to be a good friend? Today’s blog entry deals with friendship.
“A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” – Proverbs 18:24
For many of us, the process of choosing friends started at an early age. It may have been in pre-school or kindergarten when you made a decision of who you we’re going to play with when the class went outside. It may have been when you watched the neighbor’s kids build a snowman one winter, and decided you wanted to go out and join them. There are a number of ways that friendships can be developed (sharing common interests, living in the same neighborhood, playing sports together, etc), and today I will be focusing on some of the things that contribute to genuine friendships.
One of the first things I would like to hit on is communication. Proper communication is important to friendships (and relationships in general). Communication gives people the opportunity to know each other’s viewpoints on things; it also gives insight on what people value and are passionate about. Communication serves as a way for two individuals to learn about each other, and maintain an understanding of what’s going on in each other’s lives. In a friendship, it’s important that each person listens to what the other has to say. If one person in a friendship only wants to talk and never wants to listen to the other person, many problems can arise. It’s important that both parties care enough about each other to genuinely listen to what the other has to say.
Trust is another important thing in building/maintaining a genuine friendship. Being honest with each other helps build trust, and trust helps friendships grow. If someone is constantly lying, it can raise questions about their overall credibility as a person. As brothers and sisters in Christ, if we see a friend of ours getting off track (doing things contrary to the Word of God), we should be willing to speak to them about it, and try to help them get back on track. This is not to say that they will always listen, but rather that out of love it’s better to speak up, than just act like we don’t see it. When trust has been built in a friendship, and Person A really feels like Person B is speaking the truth because they care about them, and not speaking something for reasons of selfish gain, Person A is more likely to take to heart what the other person is saying.
It’s very important that we choose our friends wisely. If you have a person in your life that has been a negative influence, and been hindering your walk with Christ, it may a good idea to put some distance between you and them (I would recommend praying for them, and seeking God for guidance regarding your specific situation). I want to make it clear that I definitely think it’s important to witness to our unsaved friends. The point I’m making is if you are hanging around a person that is negatively influencing you and/or doesn’t respect your beliefs as a Christian, it's probably a good idea to give them some space. You shouldn’t allow them to take your focus off of Christ.
“A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” - Proverbs 17:17
“A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” – Proverbs 18:24
For many of us, the process of choosing friends started at an early age. It may have been in pre-school or kindergarten when you made a decision of who you we’re going to play with when the class went outside. It may have been when you watched the neighbor’s kids build a snowman one winter, and decided you wanted to go out and join them. There are a number of ways that friendships can be developed (sharing common interests, living in the same neighborhood, playing sports together, etc), and today I will be focusing on some of the things that contribute to genuine friendships.
One of the first things I would like to hit on is communication. Proper communication is important to friendships (and relationships in general). Communication gives people the opportunity to know each other’s viewpoints on things; it also gives insight on what people value and are passionate about. Communication serves as a way for two individuals to learn about each other, and maintain an understanding of what’s going on in each other’s lives. In a friendship, it’s important that each person listens to what the other has to say. If one person in a friendship only wants to talk and never wants to listen to the other person, many problems can arise. It’s important that both parties care enough about each other to genuinely listen to what the other has to say.
Trust is another important thing in building/maintaining a genuine friendship. Being honest with each other helps build trust, and trust helps friendships grow. If someone is constantly lying, it can raise questions about their overall credibility as a person. As brothers and sisters in Christ, if we see a friend of ours getting off track (doing things contrary to the Word of God), we should be willing to speak to them about it, and try to help them get back on track. This is not to say that they will always listen, but rather that out of love it’s better to speak up, than just act like we don’t see it. When trust has been built in a friendship, and Person A really feels like Person B is speaking the truth because they care about them, and not speaking something for reasons of selfish gain, Person A is more likely to take to heart what the other person is saying.
It’s very important that we choose our friends wisely. If you have a person in your life that has been a negative influence, and been hindering your walk with Christ, it may a good idea to put some distance between you and them (I would recommend praying for them, and seeking God for guidance regarding your specific situation). I want to make it clear that I definitely think it’s important to witness to our unsaved friends. The point I’m making is if you are hanging around a person that is negatively influencing you and/or doesn’t respect your beliefs as a Christian, it's probably a good idea to give them some space. You shouldn’t allow them to take your focus off of Christ.
“A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” - Proverbs 17:17