Just remember the people who you hang out with are the people you will become like. Are your times together edifying? Are they built around building each other up? Or are they about tearing others down? Does your time together leave your soul feeling fresh and clean or does your flesh give you a hug?
Of course friendship isn't about just sitting around in some sort of eggheaded frozen chosen setting where you sit for hours on end discussing theological issues and never joking or having fun with one another. These times of fun can be just as edifying and build the relationship just as much, even though in a different way. But the question is are they?
Are your friendships just about joking and having fun? Of course it's important to have joy. But pure fun and entertainment is going to be unhealthy. To eat cotton candy all your life would make for a very short life and in the same way having a relationship that consists of cotton candy style conversation would also make for a short and not very deep friendship.
Do you profit from having non-Christian friends? My grandma has said, "If more of them is rubbing off on you than you is rubbing off on them then you should leave." To paraphrase.
For instance, there are more than a couple of those that I know of who've been from fairly conservative Christian backgrounds and then through various means eventually became homosexuals and one of the major elements was the friends they had.
Our friendships should be based around and in Christ. Not because you both like mustard, or love dogs, or you both like biking, etc. Those are additions and help make the friendship. But the foundation to your friendship should be based on Christ. If you have a foundation that's built on you both loving golf and one of you gets hurt and can no longer golf. Well there goes the friendship.
One of our elders did a wonderful exhortation on friends this Sunday and I'll post the link whenever it goes online. It was a very good exhortation and convicted me greatly.
In summary, I'm not a very good friend. I discourage. I don't appreciate people enough. I don't love my friends as Christ does. I'm not looking to lay down my life in the little things enough. I need to love more. Christ has loved us beyond anything we could ever hope to love. Let's go out and be good friends. While at the same time making wise choices about the friends you have.
Your friends will make you. Or they will break you.
Love you guys!
Picture of the Day #139: (ha ha at my face ;-P)
2 comments:
With all those Ultimate Frisbee pics I keep seeing, I think that a game is in order between our Churches someday.. ;-)
Hm, maybe we could meet midway... like in Kansas or something... :-)
Amen Daniel! We fight the battle together! May we be friends like our Lord!
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