Tag: Friendship

Group of young adults standing on a park path beside graffiti and litter

Good Friends Matter

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“A wicked envoy falls into trouble, but a trustworthy courier brings healing. Poverty and disgrace come to those who ignore discipline, but the one who accepts correction will be honored. Desire fulfilled is sweet to the taste, but to turn from evil is detestable to fools. The one who walks with the wise will become wise, but a companion of fools will suffer harm.” (Proverbs‬ ‭13‬:‭17‬-‭20‬ ‭CSB‬‬ – Read the chapter)

One of the best observations about friendship I’ve ever heard was the big idea of a sermon: Your friends will determine the direction and quality of your life. That, as they say, will preach. The people we choose to surround ourselves with will unavoidably have an impact on our lives. And there’s a difference between people who are simply around us and people we allow to have access to our lives. It is the ones to whom we give access who will have the greatest impact. These people we need to choose carefully. Solomon agrees. Let’s talk about it.

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Digging in Deeper: Ephesians 4:26-27

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“‘Be angry and do not sin.’ Don’t let the sun go down on your anger, and don’t give the devil an opportunity.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

Anger is a challenging emotion. It is also a masking emotion. Anger can serve as an easy emotional substitute for whatever it is we are actually feeling. Often we don’t or can’t put word to what our actual emotional state is, and because anger is easier to both understand and express, we just let that take over. Sometimes anger is the right emotional response to a particular situation. More often it probably is not. But in spite of the good that can come from righteous and proper anger – anger over injustice, for instance – when anger gets in the driver’s seat of our lives, it can cause all sorts of chaos. I’m thinking about anger this morning because that complicated emotion lies at the heart of the newest Marvel offering. Let’s talk about Captain America: Brave New World.

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Digging in Deeper: 1 Samuel 20:41-42

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“When the servant had gone, David got up from the south side of the stone Ezel, fell facedown to the ground, and paid homage three times. Then he and Jonathan kissed each other and wept with each other, though David wept more. Jonathan then said to David, ‘Go in the assurance the two of us pledged in the name of the Lord when we said, “The Lord will be a witness between you and me and between my offspring and your offspring forever.”’ Then David left, and Jonathan went into the city.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

Friendship is a good thing. Nowadays, though, it is all too rare of a thing. Across the world, modern nations are suffering from loneliness epidemics. In spite of being digitally connected in ways previous generations could not possibly have imagined, we are more isolated than we have ever been. Never had there been a time in human history when having friends—real friends, not merely online connections—was both more important and also more difficult than it has ever been. Making things even more difficult is the hypersexualized nature of our culture. Let’s talk this morning about an example from the world, a supposed example from the culture, and why we need something the world simply can’t offer us.

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Digging in Deeper: Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

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“Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

As an introvert, I spend a lot of time by myself. At least, I try to do that. I love people. I love being around people. But people wear me out. That’s just how God built me. The safety and familiarity of home with my family or my office are restorative to me. Because I’m built the way I am, a new streaming series about someone even more painfully introverted than I am was an immediate draw. That it happened to be produced by one of my absolute favorite directors didn’t hurt. Having finally finished watching it, this morning, let’s talk about the recent Netflix series, Wednesday.

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Digging in Deeper: Hebrews 4:14-16

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“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens – Jesus the Son of God – let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

Confession time. Okay, we’ll just make it introspection time. That’s a little easier to do while you’re reading a blog by yourself. Have you ever struggled with a pattern of sin? I’m not talking about a sin you committed once and moved on. I’m talking about something you did once, then a second time, then a third time, and suddenly found yourself locked in a pattern where you kept coming back to it in spite of your best efforts and desires to quit it entirely. I suspect you have. That is, unfortunately, a trait humans of all shapes and sizes share. Even if you don’t accept a generically Christian definition of sin, you have some standard of right and wrong to which you’ve subscribed and which you violate on a consistent basis. How do you manage to break out of that? With grit, grace, no small amount of determination, and the reminder that you’re not alone in your efforts. Let’s talk about it.

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