Stick On

Proverbs 18:²⁴ “Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family.” (MSG).

To experience relational metamorphosis, Get Interested In Other People, Do not Be A Chronic Complainer, Learn To Be A Good Listener, Accept People Unconditionally, and Help People Feel Significant. People are going through a lot already. If you want to have close quality friendships, you need to help people feel significant. Treat them with dignity, and do not expect it to be reciprocated. Begin to practice it. You will discover that you will become that person that people want to be close to. Then, you can choose the quality friendships that you want to be close to.

Romans 12:¹⁰ “Be devoted to one another in love. Honour one another above yourselves.” (NIV). When you treat people with dignity, you make them feel significant. And guess what? People blossom with approval. People open up with affirmation. People grow with appreciation. People become committed when they are treated with dignity. So, learn to make people feel important. Again, if you do these things, I am showing you from the scriptures, you will have quality relationships in your close circle. Take it to the bank.

To experience relational metamorphosis, Be Sympathetic. God wants you to be engaged with your emotions. Romans 12:¹⁵ “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” You are not to psychoanalyze those who weep, the Bible says weep with them. And rejoice with those who rejoice. This means bringing your emotions to the party. You need to get involved with people emotionally. If you want quality friendships, you need to tune into other people’s feelings.

To experience relational metamorphosis, Stick With People In Tough Times. Proverbs 18:²⁴ “There are “friends” who pretend to be friends, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” (LB). Ultimately this scripture speaks of Christ, however, we are to be Christ to people and stick with them. Why? It is because true friends are in your corner when you are cornered. And that is how you know true friends. Fake friends are on a pedestal looking down their noses at you when you are cornered. Some will even say to you, ‘I told you! You are not that smart after all. You need to learn from your mistakes.’ I have people in my life who when I am in trouble, say to me, ‘I do not need to hear what happened. I know you and I am for you. I stand with you! Such people are precious to me. Guess what? No matter what happens to them too, I show up and say to them, ‘I am not interested in what happened. I am just here for you!’ Can you be that kind of friend? We all need these kinds of friendships.

Prayer: Father, help me practice all that You are teaching me this season, in Jesus Name. Amen!