Is that what friends are for?

Over the last 40 plus years I have had many experiences all of which assisted me in forming the beliefs, opinions and prejudices I have. These experiences have also assisted me in crafting my understanding of the words FRIEND and FRIENDSHIP.

The Oxford Universal Dictionary defines FRIEND as coming from the Old Teutonic word frijojan meaning to love or ‘One joined to another in mutual benevolence and intimacy’. And FRIENDSHIP is defined as: The state of being a friend; association of persons as friends; a friendly intimacy.

I have come to realize that the vast majority of the people in my life are not actually my friends but are simply associates, acquaintances or just simply needy people. Many years ago one experience in particular helped me to understand something about friends and friendship in general. I had known the person on the other end of this learning experience for about 6 or 7 years at the time and I considered them a friend. Over the years we talked, ate, traveled, struggled and worked together with very minimal challenges. I would even occasionally take this persons car to get it washed and even buy them a meal when buying my own meal on those days we would be working with our team late into the evenings because I thought that is what friends were for.

Well I will spare you all of the minute details of the situation that occurred and tell you that it ultimately resulted in this person manipulating a situation to get money from me. During the “mediation” or more like “negotiations” because I was unwilling to just “pay up” the conversations became very intense and from my perspective I felt that the way this person was seeking to get money from me had not only crossed the line (because I was present when another plan to get money was being hatched) but was a violation of what I thought friends do, besides after all of the rides to work I had given this person, free computer assistance, car washes and meals purchased this is how you treat me? In this meeting I began to make it clear that I was unwilling to budge just on the principle of how friends should treat one another and then the “mediator” asked me a very powerful and thought provoking question…he said: “Rodney so are you telling me that you wouldn’t do the same to him?” and I replied “no sir!” and then the “mediator” said: “Well just because that’s the kind of brother [friend] you are, does not mean that’s how someone else has to be .” Simply POWERFUL! That statement or better yet wisdom immediately caught my attention and I had to submit. He was right! Just because my way of being a “friend” or my understanding of how “friends” treat and respond to one another is absolutely that…my way and no one else is compelled to accept or adopt my way. But was this love? Was this “One joined to another in mutual benevolence and intimacy”? I would say not.

That situation not only helped to change my understanding of what a “friend” is it also assisted me in reevaluating the people in my life as well as the role they play. Most of these people have been downgraded to associates, some I no longer have a relationship with and a very small group I would even consider a “friend”.

John 15:12-13 “This is my commandment, That you love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this: that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
If we are unable to lay down, pride, ego, envy, distrust, malice, hatred of self, fear and all other disempowered behavior and attitudes how can we be called a “friend” and say that we are willing to lay down our lives?

“Friends” do not intentionally deceive or bring harm to another. “Friends” do not manipulate and control one another. “Friends” do not call only when they “need your help” nor do they “just check in on you “when something is wrong in their life and they want to dump it on you.

Face the facts they are not your “friend” if you are keeping them around then they are most likely your “crutch”, “feel better about yourself person” or “abuser”. And if you cannot or are unwilling to change the relationships you have with these kinds of persons (not to mention if you are this person yourself) then the chaos in your life will continue as it has for as long as you have known this person or persons.

You see, two people joined together in mutual benevolence and intimacy is what friends are for!

Now go use somebody else and let me be…I need to make room in my life for “Friends”.

What about you?