Becoming A Good Friend

Framework for friendship.....

Trust

1. Constancy

2. Carefulness

3. Candor

4. Counsel

Constancy -a friend loves at all times. What does this mean? It means all kinds of times. Good times and bad times. You can’t be a good friend without availability. Being there when times are difficult –a friend will not let you go to ruin.

Carefulness -a friend is emotionally sensitive to the inner topography of someone else’s life. If I can be happy when you’re sad I’m not your friend. When you’re sad, I’m sad; when you’re happy, I’m happy. A friend gives the gift of emotional connection voluntarily.

Candor - a friend is someone who is a truth-teller. Better is open rebuke than hidden love or faithful are the wounds of a friend, which means words that your friend needs that are going to be painful to hear but they need to hear them. Covering the truth out of “love” is the work of an enemy. I love them too much to tell them that. In actuality, who you love is yourself, not them.

Counsel -a friend is someone who is transparent with you; it’s someone who is regularly reassuring, as well as challenging. A friend is someone who demonstrates the balance of both encouragement and rebuke.