Friendships are a wonderful thing.
Friends we choose can lift us up or pull us down. It’s not only enough to have
a lot of friends but we need quality friends who will inspire us to be all God
has made us to be.
Friendships are a dime a dozen but
when you find a true friend it’s like finding a pearl in a great big ocean.
People you hang around you can bring out the best in you or worst in you. This
is why it is so important for us to be careful about our friendships. Here are
a few tips on friendship.
If
you want friends, you have to be a friend first.
Everyone wants the other person to reach out first. You can easily take control
of the situation by extending your friendship. When you find a person who is
compatible to your lifestyle, don’t hesitate to connect. Ask for their
friendship and start to cultivate it. Don’t go too fast; don’t go too slow.
Like everything else, friendship is a balance.
What
you sent out is what you get back. Friendships
are like echoes. If you take the time to call, visit, send messages, text, take
initiative to get together then the other person is more likely to do the same with
you. Don’t worry about whose turn it is. Be pro-active. Don’t just say, “We need to get together.” Put a date on
the calendar to meet for coffee, lunch or dinner. Treat these appointments
seriously. If you’re always finding excuses not to get together, you’re
probably not interested in that person. Be honest and let them know. Don’t lead
people on.
Make
friends with people who are different than you.
If your entire friends look like you, speak the same language, eat the same food
as you and live the same lifestyle, your world is too small. If you’re always the
biggest fish in the tank, you need a bigger tank. Make sure to have a good
balance of friends. You need to have some friends whom you look up to. We also
need friends whom we can inspire. Find your genius club (inner circle of
friends) and communicate with them frequently.
Friendships
come in seasons. Not all
friendships are for a lifetime. In fact, very few are! Don’t get bitter when
one friendship dies. Celebrate the people in your life now. Be grateful for
friends who have been there in the past. And thank God for the friends who are
going to show up in the future. Never burn bridges when a friendship starts to
cool down. Stay open but don’t get stuck. Move forward with an attitude of
gratitude.
Celebrate
the gift of good bye. (I’m not
talking marriage). Some friendships start off well but over time it becomes
toxic. If a friendship is draining you more than it’s uplifting you, it may be
time for you to slowly pull back. Be loyal but don’t be a fool. You may be
strong but you’ll become like the people you hang around with. The Bible says, “Bad company corrupts good character” (1
Corinthians 15:33). Toxic people will contaminate you. They’ll hold you back
from your destiny. You’re God’s treasure chest not the devil’s garbage can. Be
friendly to all but choose your inner circle carefully.
Cultivate
your friendships. Whatever you
don’t maintain will eventually fall apart. Don’t expect a friendship to blossom
without putting any effort into it. Whatever you put in is what you’ll get out
of it. There are many ways you can revitalize your friendship. Make a phone
call today. Invite someone to coffee, lunch or dinner. Be hospitable at home.
Send a card. Buy a small gift. Play a game of golf together. There are many
ways you can develop and seal your friendship. If you’re in a relationship, don’t
neglect your other friends. One day you’ll need them again.
One of the best friendships you can
have is spiritual friends. When our friendships are based on God’s principles
it becomes divine. David and Jonathan are good examples of that. Find friends to invest in and they will
invest their lives back into you. I thank God for a friend like you!
“Two
people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If
one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone
is in real trouble” (Ecclesiastes
4:9-10 NLT).
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