Verses on Friendship: 7 Extraordinary Lessons From Jesus
Find out how to be a good friend. The last verse will make all the difference! =)
What would life be like without Friendship? We share happy and sad times with our friends and they often become true brothers and sisters to us. That is why we have chosen 7 Bible verses about friendship for you that are found in the Gospel of Jesus.
They are extraordinary lessons from our Divine Friend that teach us so many things about life, including how to identify good friends and how to be a good friend. After all, Christ is a role model for us and it was He Himself who said:
“No longer do I call you servants, because a servant does not know what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because everything I have learned from my Father I have made known to you” (The Gospel according to John 15:15).
Check out below the verses we have chosen for you and share this beautiful message with your friends:
1. “All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” (The Gospel according to Matthew 5:37)
We emphasize here the importance of being sincere and loyal in order to make our relationships healthier and more honest. It is important to warn our friends and help them correct themselves. However, we also need to learn how to listen to what they have to tell us.
We have to remember that these warnings must always be given with the respect, mercy, and understanding that Jesus taught us about. The President-Preacher of the Religion of God, of the Christ, and of the Holy Spirit1, José de Paiva Netto, says:
"The heart is more willing to listen when Love is the basis of dialogue."
2. “Jesus answered: ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.’” (The Gospel according to Matthew 18:22)
In the Gospel of Jesus according to Matthew 18:21, the Apostle Peter asked Christ, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Then, as recorded in this Biblical passage on friendship, the Divine Master taught us to act with infinite mercy toward those who have somehow offended us.
Forgiving is not always simple, but it is essential in order for us to live free of grudges and resentment. However, it is important to consider what the late proclaimer of the Religion of the Third Millennium, Alziro Zarur (1914-1979), had said:
“To forgive is to transfer judgment to the Divine Law. But the Father does not prohibit His children from defending themselves from evil.”
3. “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.” (The Gospel according to Matthew 7:1)
When we forgive, we understand that the other person is a human being as we are too and that he or she also makes mistakes. This does not mean that we have to be complicit in what is wrong, but that we should not judge and condemn other people’s attitudes. It is by putting ourselves in other people’s shoes that we will realize that most of the time what they really need is our help.
When a friend needs your help, always ask Jesus for inspiration. He, who is One with the Heavenly Father (The Gospel according to John 10:30), knows about everything; He knows what goes on in our heart and mind, and He knows what needs to be changed.
4 and 5. “I will not leave you as orphans. For I will be with you, each and every day, until the end of the world.” (The Gospel according to John 14:18, and Matthew 28:20)
Sometimes people become close to us in moments of joy. But what about when things are not going so well? Who is willing to stand by us and overcome such difficult days as they come along?
Keep in mind that Jesus is our Loyal Friend, as writer Paiva Netto tells us:
“Whoever trusts Jesus does not waste time, because He is the Great Friend who never abandons a friend in the middle of the way!”
Christ gave us Guardian Angels (Blessed Souls, Spirits of Light), who encourage us to move forward and overcome challenges in an honest and correct way. They are good examples of a true friend.
+ Guardian Angel: 3 Things you Need to Know About Yours
+ Seek the Protection of the Guardian Angels and of the Spirits of Light!
6. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.” (The Gospel according to Matthew 5:9)
Here we identify a very practical message of friendship: make peace. A good friend brings balance into our life, whatever we are going through at the time. They bring us peace with their words and attitudes; and why not with prayer?!
This is one of the ways for us to connect with God, as the verse above says. This Bible passage is part of the Beatitudes of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount (The Gospel according to Matthew 5:1‒12).
7. “Love one another, as I have loved you.” (The Gospel according to John 13:34)
The Christ of God complements this in verse 35: “Only by this shall all of you be recognized as my disciples, if you have the same Love for one another.”
Here we have the greatest of all the lessons of Jesus, because in it we find all the teachings of Christ, which is why this is the New Commandment of Jesus. The Religion of God, of the Christ, and of the Holy Spirit proclaims that this is the Greatest Law that He left all the inhabitants of the Earth. Living by this Divine Perspective helps us become good friends and be prepared to face up to the challenges of the world.
Did you like this article? You can rate it using the stars below. Take a look at other articles on how to apply the teachings of Jesus into your everyday life, in our ‘Religion as part of our daily routine’ category.
If you have any question and/or comment about this and other topics, send them to the Religion of the Third Millennium. Let the Ecumenical Spirituality become a part of your life! And if you felt good reading this article, share it! It might touch the heart of other people too.
_______________________________
1 Religion of God, of the Christ, and of the Holy Spirit — also called the Religion of the Third Millennium, and the Religion of Universal Love. This is the Ecumenical Religion of Brazil and the world.
