friends

Friends are a very valuable gift, whether you have few or many.  Friendships don’t just happen, a bond is formed when two people begin to share their personal business.  The life thread of a friendship is when two people share a common interest.  There are some folks we want to be friends with and others we do not want a relationship with.
 
Proverbs 18:24 A man that will have friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.
 
Some people who choose to have a pleasant disposition tend to attract a large share of friends.  A person who has a high maintenance personality has a tendency to repel friendships.  Attitude is everything when it comes to forming friendships, we must ask ourselves how much of me can people tolerate?  One must need show themselves friendly, this is something that must never be feigned.  When a person is not honest in presenting themselves, they will become manipulative in their pursuit of a friendship.  The thing that solidifies a friendship is the willingness to put another persons needs before your own.
 
Proverbs 17:17 A friend loveth at all times and a brother is born for adversity.
 
A true friend is willing to overlook a lot of defects in their friend, they love you no matter what.  On the other hand, a friend has a moral obligation to respect the views and convictions of his friend.  I have had a friend I call Jim since I was a kid, he will do anything for me and I will do anything for him.  Jim had a brother and I had two of them, we do things together that our brothers wouldn’t do with us.  We have common interests that our brothers didn’t share with us, they weren't even in agreement with us.  Because we didn’t agree, we had adversity with our brothers, however, our brothers were not our enemies.  Consequently, Jim and I are closer than we are with our brothers.
 
Proverbs 22:24-25 Make no friendships with an angry man: and with a furious man you shall not run with: Lest you learn his ways and get a snare to your soul.
 
I do not like to make friends with a “hot head”, their violent temper will get them and you into trouble you didn’t sow for.  Friends have a tendency to share their temperament with one another, they feed off one another’s personalities.  Friends tend to complement one another and balance each other out.  There are some folks I do not want to be friends with or only on a limited basis.  All friends must establish boundaries and trespassing will put a strain on any relationship.
 
How do you make friends?
 
A friendship is a special and precious thing, it’s like a secret that needs to be unlocked.  The best and most sure way to make a friend is to ask that person some questions and get them talking about themselves.  Demonstrating an interest in a persons personal life is the beginning of relationship.  If you want to quench the beginning of a possible friendship, just talk about yourself.  Dominate a conversation with gripes and complaints and you will go the day yourself.

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