Being a friend is a blessing and a curse if we were all honest with ourselves. It is a blessing because they bring life and joy to your life when we need them the most. But a curse, because it means we have to be vulnerable and allow someone into the deep crevices of the beautiful and ugly parts of our lives, which can sometimes be intimidating and scary. Am I alone in this?
Everyone needs a friend and we all need one, and friends can come in all shapes and sizes. It can come in the form of a sibling, parent, high school friend, or someone you met on an airplane. I am by no means the perfect friend and won't claim to be one, but we can all use that refresh button to make sure we are striving to be the best friend to those around us and show that we appreciate what they bring to the table in our lives.
So, without further ado, here are six applicable ways we can make sure we are being the most top notch friend we can be. Please read this and put your own personal twist on them because in all honesty, there is no better you than you.
1: Be Available.
There is nothing worse than being with someone who is either emotionally checked out or just can't make that coffee date. Sometimes we are swept away with always thinking about tomorrow, when we should really sit down and be in the present. No need to worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow has its own worries.
-Matthew 6:25-34
2: Learn to Truly Listen.
I know I can get so busy with work and life that I never sit down and just listen to how my friends are doing. And sometimes when we sit down to catch up with my friends, our phone is right there to distract us. Try to practice being with people without having the phone out to pull you away from the conversation. Sometimes all someone needs is to have your full attention and be listened to, nothing else.
-James 1:19
3: Meet Them Where They Are.
Our lives are always up and down in the various seasons we are in, and sometimes our friends need us to bring them out of the rough seasons. It may take some extra effort on our end, but just know that they will return the favor when you are in a rough season in life.
-Ruth 1:16-18 / The whole book of Ruth is awesome. Synopsis: She lost her husband and stayed with her mother-in-law Naomi (who also lost her husband and sons), not because she had to, but because she wanted to. Read Ruth; it is powerful to see what a faithful friend looks like and the blessings that come from it.
4: Go Beyond the Like and Comment.
Sometimes our friendships seem to be strong via social media, when in reality you haven't seen that person in weeks. Make sure that if you're within driving distance of that person, that you get some hang out time in. If you're not in driving distance, a phone call, text, or letter are always great ways to give that personal touch to show you care.
-Romans 12:9-2
5: Encourage the Socks Off of Your Friend.
Sometimes we all need someone who believes in us and urges us to press on even if it does not make sense. We all just need that little "you go girl" moment where we feel like we have our own little cheerleader section. Every person has their own love language to show how they receive and give affection/appreciation to others. Find out what yours and your friends' love language is. It will really help put things into perspective and it is fun.
-If you have never taken the love language test, you can take a free online quiz here! http://www.5lovelanguages.com/profile/
6: Create Memories.
Don't forget that we are all in this crazy world together. Go and create fun memories with those closest to you. Go to that pumpkin patch. Have that Twilight movie marathon! Play on that flag football team. Take that cooking class together. Whatever you do, have fun doing it! Never get too busy in life / work that you forget how to have fun with your friends.
