PRINT
Being a friend means different things for different people. For me being a friend is more than just getting along with someone else and having a good time. It means being able to accept faults, point out where growth is needed, encourage and assist with that growth, and being open to have that done in return. I could write a small chapter on what "effective" friendship means to me, but I want to know what others think.
Comments
That IS a good question friend, and it's high time someone takes a stab at answering it. If you are an effective employee, you are doing your work well, right? You are contributing to the company's goals, you are enhancing the value of the company. Therefore, I would say that if you are an effective friend, you are doing much of the same. Not that every friendship needs to have clear cut goals and stock reports, but the general goal of friendship - true friendship - is to provide truth, companionship, support, and accountability. The friendship is enhancing the value of the relationship.
I immediately think of David and Jonathan's friendship - a relationship that sharpened both men, provided great support, truth, and accountability. That does beg a different question though - does the friendship work if only ONE of the friends are "effective"?
Wow, way to throw it back, Jim!. That is a tough question. I think you can be an effective friend to someone else without them reciprocating, but I don't believe you can develop a healthy effective friendship unless both parties are actively involved. Iron can chip away at wood for a while to lighten the load, but at some point the iron needs to be sharpened in order to work properly.
Effective friendship, to me, comes when both people are committed to each others growth and spiritual maturation. It comes when both people are able to share a range of emotion, both good and bad, without fear of rejection or retaliation from the other.
We are not meant to go through life alone. Every person needs someone to turn to to celebrate achievements, get through challenging situations, and to experience life with. We should all seek out ways to encourage healthy effective friendships in others and in ourselves for others.
I like the iron chipping away at wood analogy -- I think we've all had friends like that. I would suggest that type of relationship doesn't necessarily require both parties to be sharpened, however, I do agree that wouldn't qualify as an effective friend. Perhaps that type of friendship belongs in a different category?
I like your description of an effective friendship. Perhaps in more ways than we'd all like to admit, it is similar to entering into a marriage in a way. True friendships stand the test of time and often have similar components, yes? (Imagine two old men sitting on a patio at the retirement home, reminiscing together. Wouldn't their dynamic remind you of an old married couple?)
Gives a whole new perspective on the term "man-date". Ha.