Spotlight on Friendship

In each of our lives we need a sense of belonging. If there is no feeling of acceptance or importance then what is our purpose and where is our impact? The vital need for self worth is almost entirely filled by others who accept us for who we are. Such people in our lives are given the honorable title of friends. The responsibilities of a friend are often overlooked. A friend is by definition a supporter, a well wisher, and someone who looks upon us favorably from an intimate level. The purpose of friends is then to build up and encourage one another giving us a sense of security while establishing the importance of our lives.

However, in today’s society friendships have deteriorated to the degree where they no longer provide the self worth that each of us need to live. Instead, through constant gossip and betrayals we are tearing each other down to a point where so many of us grapple with feelings of uselessness and lack of acceptance. We are drowning in a pool of negativism. In return, we also contribute to it through vain attempts at manufacturing the importance we crave through gossip and betrayals of our own. We are contributing to the very situation that is causing us to drown. It’s not a Catch-22. To break the cycle all we need to do is focus on ourselves and the one person who won’t betray us, God. If we work on becoming a model of consistency in the support that we offer to our friends we can spark a change in the dedication others have towards us.

The warm life-giving attitude directed towards those you care for will attract them to you like never before. The grace shown them will invoke a desire to express gratitude for the pleasure you’ve brought into their lives. By taking our responsibilities as friends seriously we will shower each other with such encouragement that we will once again be drowning, but this time in a pool of Joy.