Being a Good Friend

God created women to be awesome companions. Do you remember when you were a little girl at recess? We‘d giggle with the other girls, hold hands, write notes, and have pretend clubs. I wore a necklace that was half of a heart – my best friend wore the other half. But there was a dark side to this, you see unlike the little boys who were throwing punches and wrestling on the playground – we girls were slinging verbal punches.

Remember the pretend club you couldn’t get into because the little girls didn’t accept you? Or the clique of girls that ignored you, or the girl who was your best friend one day and someone else’s the very next day? Then we grew up and it was the sorority you couldn’t get into or the clique of girls at church who ignored you or the girl who was your best friend the one day and didn’t return your calls or email the next. If you are a human – you’ve suffered a wounded friendship. I've been there - I have had a few friendships over the years that have soured and I can't describe in words the deep pain that I have experienced and wrestled with.

Yesterday I scratched the surface of the first fruit of the Spirit - Love. Today I want to move into the application of living out love in our friendships with women.

Think about one strand of spaghetti. Alone it is very weak – easy to snap in half. But when you grab a big hand full of spaghetti and you try to break the whole group in half, it's difficult. They strengthen each other. That’s what we can do for one other.


Romans 15:1-3 says, “We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me”.

In our friendships we should seek to build our sister up for her own good. When she is weak - you can make her strong. And when you are weak - a good friend will make you strong.


Verse 3 says to look at Christ, he is your example, he did not please himself. As a matter of fact, when someone insults one of his children, he takes it personally – it’s as if they have insulted him. Do you insult and gossip and criticize your sister in Christ? If you do, it’s as if you criticized Christ!

Hallmark and American Greetings card lines know how vital women friendships are. They have a card to say how much you mean to me, encourage you when you’re down, a special thank you, congratulations, or a precious goodbye. Do they have friendship cards geared at men? No - it’d be a financial disaster! God designed women to be awesome companions. It’s a gift from God. Be what God has designed you to be – a good friend!

Tell your friends you love them - don't be shy, hug them, cry with them, write them encouraging notes, point out their strengths, listen to their heart, pray for them, forgive them when they have a bad day and are thoughtless, be loyal, and love them like Jesus does. Not only will you receive unconditional love in return but you will be teaching the next generation how to build strong Godly friendships - this is vital in the body of Christ.

The first fruit of the Spirit is love. Be a good friend today!

Walk with the King!

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