3 Ways to Become a Great Friend

Humans have a need for companionship. At the BACC, we believe that the Bible is a book about relationships. In our Professionals ministry, we help professionals by supporting the development of spiritual friendships, which are needed to fulfill God’s purposes.

God desires for people to be in healthy relationships, and the Bible guides us how to become the friend God wants us to be. Here are three things you can do starting today that will help you become that friend:

1. Have pure motives and kind speech

He who loves a pure heart and is kind in his speaking has the king as his friend.
Proverbs 22:11 (NLV)

Genuine care and pure motives are an essential heart condition for trust to be developed. Without trust a deep relationships cannot exist. The Scripture says that even powerful/important people (ex. King) want to surround themselves with those with pure heart and kind speech.

Question: Make a list of people you consider your friends, what are your motives for each friendship? Pray for God to reveal your motives and to purify them.

2. Love at all times

A friend loves at all times
Proverbs 17:17

The truth is, it’s not always easy to love. Because a friend loves at all times love is a decision and not a feeling. The Bible defines what love is for us:

patient, kind, not envious, not boastful, not proud. It honors others, it seeks the interest of others, not easily angered and is its forgiving. Love rejoices with the truth, it protects, trusts, hopes and perseveres. A spiritual friend chooses to love at all times.
1 Corinthians 13: 4-7

Question: Based on 1 Cor 13 choose two areas that you want to improve to become a more loving friend; study it and have others keep you accountable.

3. Be honest, always

Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy.
Proverbs 27:6 (NLT)

A wound is always painful, but it may be necessary to correction. A true friend is always interested in the best interests of his/her friend. A true friend does not lie just to make others feel better. According to the Scripture a kiss doesn’t always mean love, nor does a wound make one an enemy.

Spiritual friends will choose to be honest because the well-being of the other person is more important than the current comfort level in the relationship. Truth telling solidifies the integrity in relationships.

Question: How honest are you with your friends? What prevents you from being honest? Who are you going to be honest with today?

Additional Scriptures: 1 Sam 18: 1-4, Prov 18: 24, Prov 16: 28, Prov 17: 9, Prov 18: 19