Key Elements of Friendship #4

LOVE

Without this elements every other element I have written about are useless.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3

¹ If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Just as we are called to love God more than anything else in our relationships with Him, we are called to love others as we love ourselves. I always take that to mean to love others as I myself would like to be loved or like to see others be treated by people.

I love the way 1 Corinthians 13 described Love because I find it exactly right and exactly how God is and exactly what we should aim to be in our friendships.

1 Corinthians 13: 4-8a

 ⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
 ⁸ Love never fails.

I cannot stress highly enough how important it is to love others. I literally believe we can change the world, enrich people's lives and reveal Christ to many who previously have not known or not know fully of His Wonderful Love for us. That, in turn, changes their lives completely...just like mine was changed in the most amazing way just over five years ago. I'm up for this, Are you?

One more thing, Christ wants friendship with all of us. If we have it, let's make more of it...if you don't...the door is always open for you to let Him in. I keep saying this because I don't want anyone to miss out on the blessings in this life or in the next life...