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Friendship

Discussion in '2000-02 Archive' started by Brother Adam, Dec 7, 2001.

  1. Brother Adam

    Brother Adam New Member

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    In your own words [​IMG]...

    What is friendship to you?
    What does it mean to be a friend?
    What is a best friend?
    Can you have more than one best friend?

    These questions are for a process I am going through for my final exam in one of my classes. I have to search out friendship and that includes at least 3 "interviews" (a broadly used term).

    Thank you for any input you can give.

    UNP
    Adam
     
  2. Chris Temple

    Chris Temple New Member

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    John 15:13 (KJV)
    Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

    Oops sorry - not my words.

    But authoritative ;)
     
  3. Brother Adam

    Brother Adam New Member

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    sorry can't use it.

    that falls under "Literature". I think I already covered every single possible Bible verse having to do with friendship.

    UNP
    Adam
     
  4. SaggyWoman

    SaggyWoman Active Member

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    <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by flyfree432:

    What is friendship to you?
    What does it mean to be a friend?
    What is a best friend?
    Can you have more than one best friend?


    <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

    What is friendship to me? Someone who I have a bonding and companionship with--a sense of belonging with.

    A best friend would be someone who shares a lot of bonding experiences with me, and I with them. The love is reciprocated.

    I think you can have more than one best friend. I feel I do.
     
  5. Brother Adam

    Brother Adam New Member

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    Thank you Saggywoman,

    This is the type of response I am looking for for my paper. Could anyone else share?

    UNP
    Adam
     
  6. SaggyWoman

    SaggyWoman Active Member

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    and I think I have different "best friends" for arenas of my life.

    I have a church best friend--well, actually, I have good friends through out my church.

    Then I have good friends who I have moved away from with whom I maintain contact. They are priceless.
     
  7. Helen

    Helen <img src =/Helen2.gif>

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    Here you go, Adam, in the interests of your paper.... [​IMG]

    <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by flyfree432:
    In your own words [​IMG]...

    What is friendship to you?
    What does it mean to be a friend?
    What is a best friend?
    Can you have more than one best friend?

    These questions are for a process I am going through for my final exam in one of my classes. I have to search out friendship and that includes at least 3 "interviews" (a broadly used term).

    Thank you for any input you can give.

    UNP
    Adam
    <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

    Real friendship is a type of love. It involves caring and commitment. Casual friendships are different not only in degree, but in type. They involve people you really enjoy being around at the time, and with whom you share some experiences and some conversations. This can deepen into a true friendship, but most don't. We just have too many people in our lives, and a real, or true friendship requires energy and time and caring. And as much as we might want to care for a lot of people, our own personal resources do tend to limit the time and energy we have to give. But, because in a real friendship, the friend also gives back, the energy level is restored by the mutuality of caring.

    For me to be a friend to someone means, first of all, I will take the time for them. Time to listen, time to just be with them, time to see what it is that will help cheer or encourage and do it or say it. Being a friend means being the kind of person someone can not only talk to, but be quiet around, and being easy with both. For me as a Christian, it also means being enough in tune with the Holy Spirit to feel His nudges as to what to do or say for my friend. And being a friend means always remembering my friend in prayer. Being a friend means forgiving them even before they do the same ****** thing I would probably do in their shoes! It means filtering what they say through a heart of love and understanding, and knowing they will do the same for me, God bless them. And then being a friend means keeping it secret so they will always be safe with you.

    A best friend is the result of a build-up of years of a trustworthy friendship. It's like comparing a skys****er to a hut. It just got built really big!

    Yes, you can have more than one best friend. I have two. We have raised children together, laughed together, cried together, called in the middle of the night, and I know that no matter what, ever, their doors are open to me and mine to them. No matter the circumstances, no matter the time, no matter the cost. They are two women I can always, always depend on for anything at their disposal, as I pray then can with me. I've had 'temper tantrums' around both of them before, and each, in her turn, just kept on loving me anyway. That's the kind of friend you just don't turn away from!

    There you go. Hope that's long enough for an 'interview'!

    (I concentrated on same-sex friends rather than the Lord or my husband, both of whom are even closer to me! And both of whom I depend on far more. But I had the feeling that may be what you wanted?)

    Helen
     
  8. Helen

    Helen <img src =/Helen2.gif>

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    That's funny. The two starred out words are

    1. "stoooopid"

    2. a really tall building that 'touches the sky.'
     
  9. Chris Temple

    Chris Temple New Member

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    <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by flyfree432:
    sorry can't use it.

    that falls under "Literature". I think I already covered every single possible Bible verse having to do with friendship.

    UNP
    Adam
    <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

    OK - here's a true to life example.

    Friendship is having your Sunday School show up in your Father's hospital room, and be with you while he passes from this life into eternity.
     
  10. Joseph_Botwinick

    Joseph_Botwinick <img src=/532.jpg>Banned

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    Adam,

    I feel like I have three different types of friends. The first are those who are merely acquanitances, such as people I know and pass at church, school, etc...I think these people are nice people and are friendly, but don't really know them well enough to share anything substantial about my life. I haven't built a trust with them yet. If I were not a Christian, I would never talk to them about the most personal issues in my life and definitely not salvation.

    The second type of friend is a good friend who is someone I am starting to get to know a little better and build a trust relationship with. These are the type of people I would probably start to open up to and share some select personal issues with, but not the deep, dark, personal issues of the soul.

    The third type of friend is someone like my wife, whom I can share every deep dark secret of my soul and I know that she would still love me. This person has the highest level of trust. If I were not a Christian, this person would have the best chance of dealing with salvation issues and being successful. As a matter of fact, when I was a non-Christian as a kid, it was a friend exactly like this who helped lead me to salvation. Sorry to say that this person majorly violated my trust after that. Since then, it has been harder for me to get to this level of trust with anyone.

    So to sum up, there are three different levels of friendship and they are based on trust and how much you have to protect yourself. The closer a person comes to you as a friend, the less you have to protect the truth about who you really are. The Lord Jesus Christ, my wife, and about two or three others have made it to this level of friendship with me. You will find as you go from acquaintance to best friend, the list goes from really large to very small.

    Joseph Botwinick
     
  11. Brother Adam

    Brother Adam New Member

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    Thank you all a lot for your respones! I'll let you know if I end up quoting you in my paper/speech

    UNP
    Adam
     
  12. Ps104_33

    Ps104_33 New Member

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    Fly,
    A great book on friendship that a pastor gave me when I was having marital problems called " Quality Friendship" br Gary Enrig (Moody, 1981) is an EXELLANT book based on David and Jonathan. Highly recommended.
     
  13. Grace

    Grace New Member

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    Real friendship is a relationship based on committment. A real friend is one that has stayed with you in the hard times.
    To be a friend means you listen to the other one. Sometimes you have to tell them something (or listen to them tell you) about themselves that needs to be changed. A real friend loves someone enough to do this in a loving way.
    A "best" friend is someone who has seen you at your personal worst, and loves you anyway.
    More than one best friend. I think so. I have more than one.
     
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