How to Be a True Friend True friends are built. You dont make them overnight. Friendships are not toadstools; they are oak trees. Jesus said, ...Love one another, as I have loved you ( John 15:12 ). Now, thats the principle, but let me give you five secrets that come from it. If you will practice these, you will make you a great friend. Accept. The Bible says in Ephesians 1:6 that God has made us accepted in the beloved. We all want people to accept us. Jesus accepted the disciples. He said, Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you.... ( John 15:16 ) Jesus did not accept the disciples because they were perfect but because they needed Him. Acknowledge . Recognize people. Give them your full heart and attention. When you talk to people, listen to them also. Look them in the eye. Understand that people are important. Theyre a soul for whom Christ died. When we acknowledge others, were saying, Youre important to me. I acknowledge your presence and your importance. Appreciate. A man got an e-mail from his son recently. It brought tears to his eyes because he said, Dad, Im just so grateful for the heritage that I have. Thank you. I could live six months on that. It didnt take him but a few minutes to write that little message, but it meant so much to Folks, youre lying if you say you dont want to be appreciated. Tell your husband, your wife, your children, or your friends that they are appreciated. Affirm. Appreciation is for what people do; affirmation is for who people are. The Lord Jesus affirmed His disciples over and over again. It doesnt mean you approve of everything a person does when you affirm them. The Bible is full of affirmations, and yet it acknowledges the fact that were sinners and that we fail. But affirmation is important. Assure . Assure them that you understand. We all want empathy. The apostle Paul said in Romans 12:15 : Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Find a way to let people know that youre sensitive to what theyre up against, what they feel, what theyre going through. Assure them that youre there, and that, to your limited ability, you understand or youre trying to understand what theyre going through. True friendship is costly. Its not easy to maintain a friendship. Remember John 15:13 : Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. And Proverbs 17:17 says, A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. You must be willing to pay the price. But finding a true friend and being one in return is one of the best investments you can ever make.
Posted on: Mon, 25 Aug 2014 09:52:03 +0000
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