Interacting with Other People – Part 6
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To have good relationships, we desire predominantly positive interactions with other people. We call such interactions friendship or fellowship. C.S. Lewis said, “Friendship is born at the moment when one man says to another, ‘What! You too? I thought that no one but myself….’” Lewis was capitalizing on what two people have in common. This is the beginning of friendship, but certainly not the end. A friend is someone that a person can talk to without having to worry about where the information shared is going. A friend will do things that you like to do because he enjoys your enjoying it. A friend will stick with you even when times are hard. Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”
How do you make friends? Proverbs 18:24 says, “A man who has friends must himself be friendly.” In other words, if you want a friend, be a friend! This does not necessarily mean that another will reciprocate. It is to say, however, that if one never tries to make friends with another, the chances of getting a friend are much smaller!
A great way to be friendly is to ask questions. Pretend you are a late-night talk show host interviewing a guest. Talk about his/her interests and what he/she has been up to lately. Ask follow-up questions and be interested in what the other person has to say. Feigning interest will not lead to friendship, but resentment. Loving our neighbors as ourselves, however, means that we will always be interested since we are always interested in ourselves. First Peter 1:22 says, “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart.” When we have this attitude, it will not be hard to make friends.
God bless you and I love you.
Kevin Cauley