February 20, 2015
Treating Friends
Proverbs 17:9
Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.
There’s lots of verses about being a godly friend, and they all fit together. Something I keep in mind is that these verses are not merely about friends out in the world, but my list of “friends” should include my husband, my children, my siblings, and my parents. God’s prescription for being a godly friend also helps me be a godly wife, mom, sister, and daughter.
1. No fault finding.
Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, so don’t drudge up the past. Proverbs 17:9
Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Colossians 3:13
2. Don’t be a know-it-all or think you’re better than others.
Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves... Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! Romans 12:3&16
3. Don’t give people a taste of their own medicine.
Never pay back evil with more evil. Romans 12:17
Never be glad about someone “getting what they deserve.” 1 Corinthians 13:6
4. Love them exactly the way they are.
There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13
Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Romans 12:9
I certainly want to be treated this way by my friends and family all the time no matter what, so I can’t live by a double standard desiring this for myself but only offering it in return to people when I think “deserve” it from me. No one “deserves” any of this amazing system of friendship that God has authored for us. How kind he is to instruct us all to put it into practice in all of our relationships.
Dear God,
Thank you for Jesus who shows us all these things about real friendship. Help me to make it my practice and personal policy to not be a fault finder, not think I’m better than everyone, not be a know-it-all, not hope people get a taste of their own medicine, and not wait for people to change before I love them. I don’t want to be a hypocrite living a double standard. I just want to live by your standard of how to be a loving, godly friend in all of my relationships. I love you and thank you and pray for your help in Jesus’ name, amen.
Treating Friends
Proverbs 17:9
Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.
There’s lots of verses about being a godly friend, and they all fit together. Something I keep in mind is that these verses are not merely about friends out in the world, but my list of “friends” should include my husband, my children, my siblings, and my parents. God’s prescription for being a godly friend also helps me be a godly wife, mom, sister, and daughter.
1. No fault finding.
Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, so don’t drudge up the past. Proverbs 17:9
Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Colossians 3:13
2. Don’t be a know-it-all or think you’re better than others.
Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves... Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! Romans 12:3&16
3. Don’t give people a taste of their own medicine.
Never pay back evil with more evil. Romans 12:17
Never be glad about someone “getting what they deserve.” 1 Corinthians 13:6
4. Love them exactly the way they are.
There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13
Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Romans 12:9
I certainly want to be treated this way by my friends and family all the time no matter what, so I can’t live by a double standard desiring this for myself but only offering it in return to people when I think “deserve” it from me. No one “deserves” any of this amazing system of friendship that God has authored for us. How kind he is to instruct us all to put it into practice in all of our relationships.
Dear God,
Thank you for Jesus who shows us all these things about real friendship. Help me to make it my practice and personal policy to not be a fault finder, not think I’m better than everyone, not be a know-it-all, not hope people get a taste of their own medicine, and not wait for people to change before I love them. I don’t want to be a hypocrite living a double standard. I just want to live by your standard of how to be a loving, godly friend in all of my relationships. I love you and thank you and pray for your help in Jesus’ name, amen.
RSS Feed