Friendship 101

A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24 (King James Version)

There are times when I miss seeing the promise in a verse. I do not know how many times I have read today’s verse and walked away only seeing the conditional aspect of to have friends I must be friendly. Yet, this morning the promise calls out to me….. You WILL have friends if you show yourself friendly!!!!!! It is not saying that EVERY person I am friendly toward will in turn be my friend. But I will have friends if I live my life as a friendly person.

The question now is, “What is a friendly person?” I first must look to Scripture to begin answering that question. Proverbs 17:17 says a friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. Those two phrases are a wonderful starting place. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 is a “how to” book on love. Therefore, if I am patient and kind and seeing the good in others, I WILL have friends. If I am not rude and self seeking, I WILL have friends. If I believe the best about others and am there for them in times of trouble, I WILL have friends. In myself these things do not always come naturally, but I am not on my own to muster them up. I have the Spirit of God living and working in me and therefore I have His fruit….the first being love! Here’s the exciting part! With time and nurturing, fruit grows!!!!! What is in me will grow as I cultivate and develop it.

The Bible is filled with example after example of love in action with the climax being laying ones life down for another. Bible characters show me self sacrifice, serving, coming along side, comforting, and giving, to name a few. As I read God’s Word, I can ask Him to help me take notice of the signs of friendship being displayed.

Then there are the real live examples that I see before me on a daily basis. I can watch and learn from them. Their smiles, kind words, hugs, listening ear, and warmth are tutors to me. Again, the Spirit of God is in me to help me do any of these things in times when I feel least like doing them.

I needed the truth of these thoughts this morning because although I have friends who are dear to me, I have insecurities that can block me from fully enjoying them or can get in the way of me being enjoyable to be around. I went to sleep last night asking God to show me how to begin changing so that the emotional battles no longer have such a hold on me. I woke this morning with the first of His words to me. BE FRIENDLY.

Father, I can tell when it is You doing the talking because You tell me what I would never come up with on my own. I take delight in the lesson You have given me this morning. I take Your hand as I now live it! Amen.

Good and Faithful Friend - Andi Rozier
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=py6FrhH-TGI&feature=related

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.