Wednesday, May 23rd
Topic: Master The Art Of Friendship
Scriptural Passage: Amos 3:3, Proverbs 18:24
Focus: Proverbs 18:24
A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother...
The aphorism “No man is an island” is true. Living life successfully and positioning for the opportunities that life brings also entails relationship building and sustaining. As individuals, we have our different purposes and missions on earth. But, these purposes and missions cannot be achieved by one’s singular efforts.
Don't be the fair weather friend. A fair weather friend is like the banker who lends you his umbrella when the sun is shining and takes it back the minute it rains.
Two men were traveling through the forest and came across a bear. One of them quickly climbed a tree but the other was unable to, so he lay on the ground and played dead. The bear sniffed around his ear and left. The fellow on the tree came down and asked him, "What did the bear tell you?"The man replied, "He said, don't trust a friend who deserts you in danger".
Mutual trust and confidence are the foundation stone of all friendship. We need people, friends, families, well-wishers and even foes, to help us attain our goals in the journey of life. To this end, the word “friendship” comes to mind.
“A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow” (William Shakespeare). A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you. It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages. Your association determines your assimilation. One very good example of the value of friendship in life and destiny was the friendship between David and Jonathan. The assignment of David in Israel would have been aborted, had Jonathan, Saul's son, not been his friend from his days in the palace.
Do you know that the German army won't let a soldier file a complaint and make criticism immediately after a thing has happened? He has to sleep on his grudge first and cool off. If he files his complaint immediately, he is punished. The secret of Benjamin Franklin as a U.S. Ambassador to France was his belief which made him say, "I will speak ill of no man...and speak all the good that I know of everybody".
Don't make a habit of criticising people. Criticism is futile because it puts a man on the defensive, and usually makes him strive to justify himself. Criticism is dangerous, because it wounds a man's precious pride, hurts his sense of importance, and arouses his resentment. The wrong doer blames every body else but himself. Criticisms are like humming pigeons - they always return home.
Prophetic Declaration
Today, I receive wisdom to form the right relationships, maintain and maximise them in Jesus name
Who you hang around with, will determine what smell you wear.
God bless you.
All images gotten from pixabay.