True Friendships

[Jerry]

True Friendships

This is the message I preached today at the Gospel Mission.

Webster's 1828 Dictionary gives this as his first definition for friend: "One who is attached to another by affection; one who entertains for another sentiments of esteem, respect and affection, which lead him to desire his company, and to seek to promote his happiness and prosperity; opposed to foe or enemy."

He also defines friendly as: "Having the temper and disposition of a friend; kind; favorable; disposed to promote the good of another." While we cannot be friends with everyone we meet, we can always choose to be friendly.

Last week, I preached again on The Work Of Thy Hands, and in it I also covered the verses about God being the Father of the fatherless and setting the solitary in families. Afterwards, I had someone come up to me and make this statement: "I would rather be surrounded by friends than family because you can choose your friends; you can't choose your family." How true that is, when it comes to our physical families.

Yesterday, I asked several friends to come up with some statements about friendships, such as "a friend loves you" and "a friend encourages you." Here are some of the statements or descriptions they gave me: Cares for you, will earnestly pray for you, will want to be around you, will tell you when you are wrong, will encourage you, will teach you God

[blossom]

I thoroughly enjoyed that message. Thank you for posting it.

[Amaryllis]

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

I have always been a loner for as long as I can remember. It is often hard for me to reach out to others whom I do not know. Because of this drawback in my character, I am grateful to be working at a Gospel Mission where I am forced out of my comfort zone and continually interacting with new people, where I am in a position to touch lives I might otherwise have not. If we want friends, WE need to be friendly!

That's what the verse says, but it really goes against certain personalities because some individuals are not the type of people to aggressively interact with others, maybe they are scared of making a wrong impression. Also, if they try to force themselves to be friendly, people can sense that and the results are worse than before.

[Jerry]

Who said anything about forcing anyone? I am sure God knows what He is talking about - and it is certainly better for someone to be friendly than not, expecially if they want to make friends.

If God expects us to do something, He will certainly equip us if we step out in faith and OBey Him.

[trc123]

It would prOBably belong in another thread, but I'd be interested in hearing various people's definitions of being "friendly."

[Jerry]

That discussion might be beneficial in this thread. I wouldn't mind.

[JerryNumbers]

Do you believe that being friendly is something a person learns to do?

I believe being friendly is like many other things, at 1st you may not feel at ease, but after practicing it, it will soon feel natural.

I try to be friendly, even going out of my way to be so. But it bothers me, there be some who seem to go out of their way to avoid you. For instants.

A church I use to attend I noticed this one person he would always take a short cut to keep from meeting people on the sidewalk. After realizing this I would take the short cut so that I would meet him head on. Each time I did this he acted offended, as if he did not like me cutting him off, as if I don't have time for you. Although it seemed he treated everyone equal!

I recall a sermon preached at a revival, he stated, I can't stand it when a person sneaks in church and sets down, them soon as church is over they jump up and quickly leave not saying anything to anyone. Them start talking about how unfriendly the people are at that church.

I don't understand such people.