{"id":3436,"date":"2013-03-05T07:28:01","date_gmt":"2013-03-05T12:28:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/simplelife\/?p=3436"},"modified":"2013-03-05T07:28:01","modified_gmt":"2013-03-05T12:28:01","slug":"the-donts-of-friendship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2013\/03\/the-donts-of-friendship.html","title":{"rendered":"The Don’t’s of Friendship"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"last<\/a>After the men had gathered for their last supper together, Jesus made a shocking statement to his followers. \u00a0In the light of who he was–mighty God, the Messiah, the Christ and Savior of the world–Jesus’s announcement is a total departure from the relationship mankind had previously experienced with God. \u00a0He said,\u00a0“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. \u00a0I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. \u00a0Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you”<\/em>\u00a0(John 15:13 and 15).<\/p>\n

\"building<\/a>As we contemplate and meditate on this astonishing declaration, our hearts must swell with joy and acceptance of our new exalted position of Friends of God. \u00a0This friendship must change us, however. \u00a0We come to understand the depth of the riches of God and the depth of his love for all people, releasing us to love in a new way. \u00a0Friendship has become a holy endeavor, initiated by God and perfected in His love and sacrifice.<\/p>\n

With that in mind, as we approach people, there are some caution signs attached to friendship. \u00a0Here are nine Don’t’s of developing a committed friendship.<\/p>\n

1. \u00a0Don’t wait for others to reach out to you. \u00a0Our lives must be an extension of God’s heart that is always ready to receive the broken-hearted, the lovely and the ugly alike.<\/p>\n

2. \u00a0Don’t share just facts with your friends. \u00a0Share feelings. \u00a0Let people know YOUR joys and sorrows. \u00a0Your hurts and misgivings.<\/p>\n

\"rejected<\/a>3. \u00a0Don’t expect everyone to like you. \u00a0I learned that people either love me or hate me. \u00a0There is no in-between. \u00a0This became a valuable lesson in maturity. \u00a0I’m no longer hurt by folks who don’t know me but who reject me. \u00a0It’s a fact of \u00a0my life. \u00a0And harshly speaking, it is a fact of your life. \u00a0Not everyone wants to be friends with us.<\/p>\n

4. \u00a0Don’t expect your friend’s friend to be your friend.<\/p>\n

5. \u00a0Don’t be quick to voice your own opinions. \u00a0Some–perhaps many–things are best left unsaid.<\/p>\n

6. \u00a0Don’t harbor unforgiveness or bitterness over offenses. \u00a0Peel away the hurt of a careless remark. \u00a0Stomp until dead the pains of neglect that come into every friendship.<\/p>\n

7. \u00a0Don’t share negative information about others.<\/p>\n

8. \u00a0Don’t expect a friend to be your source for love, significance or security. \u00a0Only God can give you that.<\/p>\n

9. \u00a0Don’t let a friend take the place of the Lord.<\/p>\n

In dealing with persons who are mentally challenged, it is vital to understand that they often do not have the cognitive ability to understand the fine nuances of friendship. \u00a0This means that certain boundaries may be necessary for you to set. \u00a0In the opposite direction, you may experience that their responses to \u00a0your friendship overtures may be overlooked. \u00a0Friendship with a person with special needs is a great privilege and joy. \u00a0Their friendships are worth taking the time and energy to develop.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

After the men had gathered for their last supper together, Jesus made a shocking statement to his followers. \u00a0In the light of who he was–mighty God, the Messiah, the Christ and Savior of the world–Jesus’s announcement is a total departure from the relationship mankind had previously experienced with God. \u00a0He said,\u00a0“Greater love has no one…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":387,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,5,20,3,182,40,220,186,49,10,16,11,147,8,85,263,4,41,152,268],"tags":[690,21,688,696,7,661,699,660,720,659,715,701,694,689,57,6,687,700],"class_list":["post-3436","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-autism-spectrum","category-christianity","category-church","category-developmental-disabilities","category-disability","category-faith","category-friendship","category-hope","category-inspiration","category-inspirational","category-intellectual-disability","category-intellectually-disabled","category-leadership","category-mentally-challenged-community","category-prayer-2","category-redemption","category-simple-truths","category-spirituality","category-stress","category-survival","tag-autism-spectrum","tag-christian","tag-christianity","tag-church","tag-developmental-disabilities-2","tag-donts-of-friendship","tag-faith","tag-friend-of-god","tag-friendship","tag-friendship-with-god","tag-hope","tag-inspiration","tag-intellectual-disability","tag-mentally-challenged-community","tag-prayer","tag-simple-scriptural-truths","tag-simple-truths","tag-spirituality"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Don't's of Friendship - A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, nofollow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Don't's of Friendship - A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"After the men had gathered for their last supper together, Jesus made a shocking statement to his followers. \u00a0In the light of who he was–mighty God, the Messiah, the Christ and Savior of the world–Jesus’s announcement is a total departure from the relationship mankind had previously experienced with God. \u00a0He said,\u00a0“Greater love has no one…\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2013\/03\/the-donts-of-friendship.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2013-03-05T12:28:01+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/specialgathering.files.wordpress.com\/2013\/03\/last-supper.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Linda G. 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