This is something that I am particularly passionate about because I think it's one of the best ways to show God's love to people. Sometimes, if you are who they seek to lean on, you are the one that the Lord is using to comfort them. Isn't that cool! You can be God's tool to love others! :)
Here are some things that I have learned while trying to be a good friend:
1. Be quick to listen.
James 1:19: My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry
Most often, your friends are not looking for you to dictate what they should be doing. They normally know the right answer. If you give them advice and they do not take it, then you could feel irritated and they may be embarrassed to come to you with the same problem. This is not to say that you should not confront them when they are doing something harmful to themselves or others- but the point I am trying to make is allow them to talk things over with you without jumping in with solutions.
2. Encourage.
Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Build up your friends, because this world is all about cutting others down in order to advance ourselves. Keep them accountable to their goals as well- it is also a form of building them up according to their needs. It's not always easy to confront a friend when they are doing something harmful to themselves, but necessary all the same.
3. Consider your motivations.
Matthew 7: 4-5: How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
Once I had a person come to me in a "loving confrontation." It really damaged me, and I thanked her for bringing it to my attention. It wasn't until I went to my husband, broken, that I realized that she was chewing me out to meet her own needs. There are times where our personal feelings to get in the way of our obligation to love. Examine your motivations before confronting or giving advice.
4. Love
Galatians 5:6: The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
Keep love in your mind at all times.
46 comments:
2 and 3 were huge discussions points in our house this week, especially with the upcoming elections ... lots of bad things coming out of people's mouths and most of it judgemental.
Big believers in judgement day being judgement by God and by God alone over here ... sadly many Christians miss this :(
Hi! Great post! I am a new follower from the blog hop. I hope you'll follow back :)
Marisa
http://thepennywisemama.blogspot.com
Hi there! I'm your newest follower from the "Tuesday Tag-Along"
I hope you can stop by and check out www.asinkfull.com
Hi! Just stopping by and following your blog from Tag- A -Long Tuesday.
http://www.thewhitewhimsies.blogspot.com
I love your site! Thank you for being so open and honest!
I'm following through Tuesday Tag A Long. Check me out if you get the chance. www.faithfamilyfrugality.com
Following from Welcome Wednesday! Hope you'll visit me at www.giveawaysformom.com :)
While you're there, I hope you'll enter my LOW ENTRY giveaways & add any giveaways you have to my DAILY giveaway linky!
New follower from Welcome Wednesday. Hope you can stop by and follow back! Thanks!
http://chalkboardstostrollers.blogspot.com/
Hi there. I'm your newest follower from Welcome Wednesday. I love your blog! I look forward to reading more and learning more about your Christian faith. As a fellow Christian myself, it makes me so happy to see people talk about their journey.
Please stop by and say hello sometime.
www.hollyatnaptime.com
HOlly
Hi Missy,
I’m already following your neat blog from Welcome Wednesday. But I still want to wish you & your family a great autumn! Check out my new Facebook fan page with inspiring quotes.
http://inspiredbyron.blogspot.com/
Such good words to remember. Popping over from SITS, I love your blog and plan to revisit often.
What a beautiful blog you have and a fabulous post. I am following from teh boost your blog hop. You can follow me back at www.adoctorandanurse.com. Thanks, Jana
What a sweet blog full of wisdom. New follower from BMBF. Hope you will come and visit! :) Petra.
http://donuts2crumpets.blogspot.com
This is a great post. I recently had a friend who seemed to be giving me advice for her own agenda instead of what was really best for me, so I had to make the decision to go against her advice since I knew it was wrong for me. She didn't like it, but I did what was best for me.
I'm your newest follower from Boost my Blog Friday! You can follow me back at Cheapskate4Life!
Stopping over to BOOOoooooboboooboooooboooo on your page from the Creepy Crawl! I am stalking you I mean following your blog!
Stop over bc someone got murdered on my BLOG!
http://cafescrapper-scrapsoflife.blogspot.com/2010/10/zombie-murder-mystery-party-review-and.html
*Love your Ministry of Friendship. I've bookmarked it so I can come back and read it again and again...
Yay. Another blogging sister in Christ! Great post. I am a new follower from Friday's blog hops. I am looking forward to reading more of your blog. Blessings...
Saved By Love Creations
Thanks so much for following me at Cheapskate4Life and being my 500th follower!!! I really appreciate it! :)
Im a new follower from the hop. Come visit my kitchen anytime. hope to get a follow back
Happy Halloween. I'm following you from the blog hop, please follow back
http://tiffspixiedust.blogspot.com ....Tiffypoot @ (aol.com)
Sweet blog and so very true. I'm Kim and I'm your new follower. :o) Congrats on being a newlywed!!!
http://denimandcurls.blogspot.com
hi there. great post! your newest blog hop follower follower. would *love* a follow back. you can find me at:
http://aceandfriendsco.blogspot.com/
lots of FUN giveaways!
Great post! Scripture always brings clarity to relationships. I stopped in to visit from the SITS girls site. Just noticed you on the list for the giraffe tribe!
This is all new to me... I'm following you on the Tuesday hop... hope you'll follow back. Have a wonderful day!
http://alpacameadows.com/?page_id=23
Just out Making Friends on Monday! Happy to be following your blog now!
Anna, The Pilot's Wife
www.pilotwife.blogspot.com
Enter to win a free candle:
http://anna.scent-team.com/weeklydrawing/index.php
I am blog hopping and found your blog. I am now following your blog. Would love for you to check out my blog and follow back!!
Hi there. I found your blog on Wednesday Wonderings bloghop and so love what your blog stands for. I too love Jesus and it is such a joy to follow other blogs who are out there to encourage and reveal the loving heart of our awesome Jesus. I am loving what I am reading.
I really like your blog! Glad I found you at the hop.
Following you!
You can find me at:
www.homeward4.blogspot.com
Blessings for a beautiful day,
Janet
Hey, how did you get your background to look like paper? I made my header and would like to add a side wrapper similar to this.
Janet
Beautifully written, i look forward to reading more!
Following you from BabyDealsDujour, we list all the baby daily deals in real-time. Love to see you on Facebook and Twitter too.
Stopping by and following your blog from the F.F.F. blog hop...
Have a happy holiday season!
Best,
Elizabeth
Needed to hear this today, thanks
Newest follow on GFC, check us out at http://www.closertolucy.blogspot.com/
What a beautiful blog!
I'm your newest blog follower from Thinking of Me Thursdays!
I'd love for you to follow me back.
http://notsoeasybeinggreen.blogspot.com
Hi!
I'm following from the blog hop.
I'd love a follow back at www.mikaspantry.blogspot.com
Thanks,
Mika
Very nice post! I am visit from LBS Tea Party.
If you like, you can visit my space sometime 0 http://nicoleabdou-destinationunknown.blogspot.com
Thank you so much for this post. I've been backpedaling in my relationship with God for some time now, even though I kept denying it. Just last night, crying on my pillow, did I realize how far I'd walked without Him, all along telling myself every morning as I got ready for my day that I was in a good way with God, and really I wasn't. I still believed and I still loved, but I wasn't being true to Him or myself, and that's something that just hit me last night, and what's so bad is that the one person that could really help me, I haven't even told yet, but I'm making a point to write my friend a letter today to let her know how I've been feeling lately and why. Thanks again for this post. I've been needing a dose of spiritual comfort and refreshment.
What great advice. Wish all potential friends would read...Kind of like a handbook for friendship.
Stopping by from LBS
Really wonderful post. As Van Gogh said, "The best way to know God is to love many things." And I define things to mean people.
You were my first cup of tea at the LBS Tea Party. =-)
http://www.wealwaysbelieve.blogspot.com
leaving some follow and comment love from the Monday Mingle. Thanks for your positive inspiration. http://blog.fit2b.us
Love this! I'm a new follower from the Wednesday blog hop. I hope you'll stop by & follow me back!
Aimee @ justkiddingaroundatlanta.blogspot.com
Hi! A new follower from Wed blog hop! www.adayinmotherhood.com
@lomargie
http://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Day-in-Motherhood/103295486398365
Thanks!
Hello, I am doing a little blog hoppin' tonight & wanted to say hi :) I am your newest follower & I LOVE your blog!! Great advise here!!
I have some giveaways going on if you're interested, I am trying to boost the entries!! We Don't Have It All Together They are all listed at the top of my page.
Thank you for this post!!!
We're happily following via Fab Friends Friday! We'd love it if you followed us, we think you might dig what we're doin'. :) Thanx
kocoandviking.blogspot.com
kocoandviking[at]gmail[dot]com
Great site and article - I'm pleased to be here from the blog hop. I'm following. You could find me at wordsinsync.blogspot.com. should you wish to visit. I hope you will.
Shah. X
Powerful and wise words for us all... thanks for this post. Sadly so many of us as Christians fail at being a good friend. I pray that changes and that like your blog title Love will win.
Joy & Blessings to you and your family in the coming year!
Alida from Blackpurl's Knitpickings
gfc follower from the sunday stroll blog hop
www.theknitwitbyshair.blogspot.com
you are so right a friendship needs love and care I am your newest follower you can find me over at the blog annies home at http://shopannies.blogspot.com
I'm your newest follower from FTLOB! :) I hope you'll stop bye and visit.
xoxo
Kate
http://loveiseverywhere.blogspot.com/
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