Thursday, March 22, 2007

Women Friendships - Final Part

Tough Love

David wrote a Psalm which describes the person who loves both God and his neighbor. It also speaks pointedly of friendship. Psalm 15 summarizes the characteristics of the true friend.

Friends “speak the truth from their heart [and] do not slander with their tongue.”

Friends “do no evil to their friends, nor take up a reproach against their neighbors.”

Friends “stand by their oath even to their hurt.”

Friendship is love expressed in acceptance and commitment. It is acceptance of another person and commitment to another person regardless of the consequences. Friendship is not a flippant relationship. It is consistent and unfailing love. It is being there when you’re needed and making no excuses. To be a true friend is to be a person someone can count on.

*This is the end of my notes from my studies on this subject. Going through all this again has been a great reminder to me on how I need to treat my friends and how to be the friend God wants me to be. I hope you all enjoyed this topic. God bless you and your friends and the friends you will meet in the future!

2 comments:

Romany said...

Thanks Emily.

I just got to then end of reading all of those and appreciate the commitment you showed by posting all those notes. There is lots to learn there.

Dorothy

Emily said...

Dorothy,

Glad you enjoyed all my notes. It was sure good for me to go through them all again!!!