How To Be A Friend - Being The Good Friend Everyone Needs

Friend: One who is attached to another by affection; one who entertains for another sentiments of esteem, respect and affection, which leads him/her to desire their company and to seek to promote their happiness and prosperity. Noah Webster - 1828 Dictionary

The first act of friendship is sincerity - violate it and you will have no friends! Spend time and look at the attributes of trust. Friends are trustworthy. If a friend tells you something that they would not dream of telling anyone else, be discreet and maintain confidentiality. This will allow them to trust you with their deepest hurts, anxieties and aspirations, knowing that you will not reject them but accept them in spite of their frailties. Be careful in whom you confide, use discretion and wisdom. Remember that gossip destroys friendships.

God desires to be friendly with you as His child. He is sincere, trustworthy and honest. The universe wants to be your friend. As you seek to be friendly with others be prepared for total honesty in all areas of your life. Be aware of the areas in your life that need to be changed. Friendships just don't happen, they are cultivated.

This communicating of a man's self to his friend works two contrary effects, for it redoubleth joys, and cutteth griefs in half.- Francis Bacon

friendship

In Noah Webster's dictionary friendship is defined as an 'attachment to a person, proceeding from intimate acquaintance and reciprocation of kind offers, or from a favourable opinion and respectful qualities of mind'.

Too often people are absorbed by the impression they are making on those around them, side-tracked by the outward facade instead of concentrating on becoming a true friend. Consumerism encourages us to portray friendship via an external image, whereas the truth requires the things of the heart. In response we can choose to be filled with Love for one another and when we are it gives us the capacity to befriend everyone else. The heart of the matter is a matter of the heart.

A friend who is united in the bonds of genuine friendship knows the comfort and joy of having a friend. As friends you are also aware of the mental and emotional support this friendship brings. You will understand how such relationships can alleviate the pains of life. A friend is lovingly honest. A friend will not only affirm you but also speak of your weaknesses. You will realize that even though this process is painful it is also constructive. Earn the right to speak into a person's life. You can do it! Remember that people do not care how much you know until they know how much you care. What sort of friend would stand by and watch a friend do something that would destroy his or her life and not speak up? Be gracious and gentle, give rebuke in a loving and constructive manner with the intention of building up and improving a situation, never destroying or breaking down. If you do not make new acquaintances as you advance in life, you will soon find yourself left alone.

Start today and just be friendly to just one other person and see how it brightens your day!