| 70 Things - Friendships |
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| Written by Patrick Morley |
| Monday, January 17 2011 00:00 |
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25. Friendships Male friendship leaves a unique heat signature, as most men organize times together around tasks, not relationships. Unlike women, men need a "reason" to get together. Most men find friendships hard to develop and difficult to maintain. Often, a man's closest friendships are with coworkers. And many men have no friends--at least not beyond the cliché level of news, sports, and weather. Friendship is a central theme of Jesus: "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:12-13). "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:35). God dispatches believers to encourage each other. Fellowship is encouragement from God. We cannot love people unless we are connected to them in some way. Men confuse acquaintances, good weather friends, and close friends. A close friend is someone you could comfortably call at 2:00 a.m. Encourage your men to build lifelong friendships. If married, they can start with their wife. Next, they should develop friendships with their adult children; and, then, their young children. Beyond family, any friendships of the sharing kind must be same gender only. Best bet: join a men's small group. For more read "Friends: Risks and Rewards," chapter 10 in The Man in the Mirror; see or hear "Friends: Risks and Rewards," in the Man in the Mirror "remix" series from the Bible Study library. Yours for changed lives,Patrick Morley, PhD
#405 © 2011. Patrick Morley. All rights reserved. This article may be reproduced |







