“Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone—we find it with another.” —Thomas Merton
We are for
The aim of God in history is the creation of an all-inclusive community of loving persons with God himself at the center of this community as its prime Sustainer and most glorious Inhabitant. —Dallas Willard
We are only as as our .
are our greatest .
“Show me your and I’ll show you your .”
“Friends are the the Holy Spirit most often upon.”
Luke 6:38 NIV
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
When we ourselves from , we ourselves of God’s .
Friendship is that virtue by which spirits are bound by ties of love and sweetness, and out of many are made one. — Aelred of Rievaulx
Question for Reflection—
Who am I knit to, and who is it making me into?
Fruitful = producing things that benefit others.
A Five-Star Friend:
1. Is going the same that you want to go.
Amos 3:3 NLT
Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?
Some friends are in your , others are in your .
2. Is someone you can .
Proverbs 26:18-19 NLT
Just as damaging as a madman shooting a deadly weapon is someone who lies to a friend and then says, “I was only joking.”
3. Is for you when you can’t be there for .
Proverbs 17:17 NIV
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.
4. Has strong that you are weak in.
Proverbs 13:20 ESV
Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.
5. Tells you what you to hear, not what you to hear.
Proverbs 29:5 NLT
To flatter friends is to lay a trap for their feet.
In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. —Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Proverbs 27:6 NIV
Wounds from a friend can be trusted.
How to have 5-star friends:
1. a good friend
Proverbs 11:25 ESV
Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.
People are drawn to our , but they connect through our .
2. Position yourself to make and quality
Part of positioned, is in position.
The person who loves their dream of community will destroy community, but the person who simply loves those around them will create community. —Dietrich Bonhoeffer
3. Embrace friendships with people of your in-group
4. Don’t for less than God’s best.
5. Start !
John 15:12-15 NIV
Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants… I have called you friends.
1 Samuel 18:3-5
Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. 4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt.
Jesus is our friend.
Answer Key: created, companionship; rich, relationships; friendships, resource; friends, future; highway, travels; withhold, others, rob, blessing; direction; history, destiny; trust; there, yourself; qualities; need, want; Be; strengths, weaknesses; develop, relationships; being, staying; outside; settle; today