How to be a good friend

One of our tasks for this week at CECL was to bring a video of a sermon we have recently preached at our church. In our peer group, we watched each other’s videos and then offered encouragement to each other regarding what we thought was the other pastor’s unique excellence in sermon communication.

I was really encouraged by all of those messages, and I appreciated them far more than any other message, lesson, or sermon I heard this week. I was quite impressed with the preaching talent present in our peer group.

One of the messages was particularly “bloggable” because it offered a clear and simple how-to list of how to be a good friend. It was a message given by Pastor Austin Smith from Merrill Avenue Baptist Church in Chicago, Illinois.

Here are his suggestions based on Scripture:
1. Know the difference between casual friends and close friends. Casual friends are determined by your circumstances, but close friends are based on a choice.
* Don’t be friends with lazy people
* but be friends with people who stimulate you mentally, support you emotionally, and strengthen you spiritually.
2. Know the difference between fellowship and friendship. A truly close friendship that moves into fellowship can only come when both are believers in Jesus and share the same values.
3. If you want a good friend, you have to be a good friend.
* Get interested in other people.
* Know how to smile
* Don’t be a complainer
* Be a good listener
* Accept others unconditionally
* Help people feel significant
* Sympathize with others
* Stick with your friends through hard times.
* Share Christ with your friends

In conclusion, Austin encouraged his listeners to answer two questions: Are you a friendly person? Do you have the right friends?

Then, in a blaze of glory, Austin made two final claims: Your ultimate friend is God. God chose us over his own Son Jesus because he had his Son die so we might live.

(Now, theologically speaking, I would prefer to say that God chose us in Christ and not say he chose us over Christ, but I got the point anyway.)

The other messages were just as encouraging. What do you think of this take on friendship? Let me know by posting a comment!