It is evident that we wouldn’t be where we are today if it wasn’t for God’s grace showered on our lives daily. And just as we are given grace freely by God, we should do the same with one another, especially our friends.
Jesus speaks of offering grace to each other in the book of Luke, stating that “just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise” (Luke 6:31). The apostle Paul, in Romans 10:12, also shares about giving love to one another: “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another.”
When we remember that we have been given godly love and grace from our heavenly Father, not because we earned it but because it’s a gift, we can freely do the same for our friends. It isn’t because they gave us what we wanted and it’s now a transactional friendship, but it is instead one that is filled with love all the time.
4. Always Be Ready to Welcome a New Friend into the Group
Sometimes in friend circles (both non-Christian and Christian), some can adopt the mindset of having enough friends that you can’t make room for one more. However, as Christians, that is a toxic mindset that goes against everything Jesus stood for and God created us for.
We were created as relational beings, people who thrive in unity and love. So, when you don’t believe you have enough time to encourage a new friendship in your group or individually, you miss out on a connection that could be life-changing – for both the other person and for you.
King Solomon refers to this well in Proverbs 27:17, stating that “as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Even if you are the busiest person ever, the time you take to welcome someone new into your group of friends can bless you twofold in what that person can bring to the group in terms of faith, encouragement, and love. Plus, God may have brought you together at the exact time when you both needed to have your faith restored or be reminded of God’s love.
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