Information Related to "The Friendship Formula"
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Before
one can expect to make friends, he or she needs to see the value in having
them in the first place! The old song "No Man Is an Island" is true!
People need people. Those who try to prove they don't need others
set themselves up for failure or disappointment in life.
If you are to make friends, you must value the need for them. The
Bible uses the metaphor of the human body when talking about the closest
of all friendship groups—the Church. The apostle Paul says, "And
the eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need of you'; nor
again the head to the feet, 'I have no need of you'" (1 Corinthians 12:21).
The point is, we are not made to be totally independent creatures! To be successful, we really cannot go it alone. A do-it-yourself attitudeleads to a lonely life that often doesn't work very well.From the beginning, God designed human beings to be social. Adam became lonely because there was no one comparable to him—which (among other reasons!) is why God created Eve!
The foundation
As with any endeavor, building friendships needs to be based on the right foundation. God's Word teaches a way of life based on being a "giver" rather than being a "taker."
In 1 Corinthians 13, the apostle Paul talks about the importance of being a "giver" in terms of showing love. In verses 4-5 Paul says, "Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil."
Related Information on UCG Sites:
Table of Contents that includes "The Friendship Formula"
Other Articles by Doug Horchak
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