Our Friendship

   Growing up, did your Mother ever tell you to be careful who you hang around? Or did you have a close friend that you did everything with and Moms (for some reason) didn't approve or your "friendship", I have.
   Growing up, I had so many "friends" , I hung with this person, that person, I talked to this person and that person and within months, I probably didn't remember their phone number. Some friends, we may have lost touch, and some we may have had a disagreement those are " temporary friendships", those are the friends Mom warned you about.
   Mothers have a special gift when it comes to their children, like a K9 sniffing out a criminal, mothers can sniff out foolishness from a mile away.
  We as teenagers (when we were teenagers) wants/wanted to hang with the people that we gravitated more to and this is what it was/is based on, 1) popularity 2) the way they dressed 3) what they looked like 4) that benefit they would bring to us and our reputation. But what we as a generation forget to look at is the integrity of a person. Integrity is defined as adherence to moral and ethical principals; soundness of moral character; honesty. My goodness, Lord knows I would have loved to have been around people like that.
   Some might ask, how are you suppose to know  the integrity of a person if you're not around them? good question. That's when the Holy Spirit comes into play, you may be sitting having a good conversation with someone and you've told them all about you spiritual walk, you've told them about your old life and living of this world isn't who you are anymore, they (of course) tell you they understand and not even 5 min later, they proceed to try and convince you to go against everything you stand for. I've heard people say I know God's Word but I'm just not ready to put my all into it, I'm still young and I have a life to live .Those are the friends we love from a distance. (Philippians 2:14-18) tells us to (14) stay away from complaining and arguing, (15) so that no one can speak blame against you... (16) hold tight to the Word of life.... (17) ... if my life is to be poured out like a drink of offering to complete the sacrifice of your Faithful service. I will rejoice and want to share my whole heart with all of you. (18) And you shall be happy about this and rejoice with me.
   A "friend" is a person attached to another by feelings of personal regard. How can you be friends with someone if the personal change in your life isn't taken into regard in their life? The same way they would Love for you to follow their lead, why can't they follow yours, knowing that the journey you're taking is life changing and for the better?
   If someone can't rejoice with you and be happy with you and for you especially when it comes down to living for Christ maybe you should reevaluate your "friendships". Now don't lose sight of what I previously said, I said "Love from a distant", meaning you don't have to completely shut them out of your life but do what God has called you to do, let them live their life and when they need someone to call on when things aren't going right, you'll be the first one they pick up the phone and call on to give them the guidance they need to start putting the pieces back together. Why? Because you're living, you have no worries (though to the world, it may seem) but you don't worry, you've already made it clear that you've given up and gave it to God and with that, that's where they want and need to be.
   Surround yourself with those who walk the same walk as you, who follow the same path, even though your journey may not be the same, the love that you all share for Christ is and with that, makes a friendship for eternity.
OPGL

(1 John 1; Hebrews 10:24-25; James 5:9; Leviticus 19:16; Pilippians 2:14-16; 1 Peter 4:9; Romans 14:1; 16:17-19)