Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.
1 Corinthians 15:33
The church is the perfect place to establish true friendships. Surprisingly God has interest in the people we choose as our friends. That's why he helps us discern between good and toxic types of friendships as well as how pursuing wrong friends will pull us away from him.
Thankfully God has provided us with the best place to find the best kinds of friends there are in this world. That place is the church, it is a place where we find real friends who are always ready to sacrifice, serve, encourage, sharpen, and help us grow.
My love for the family of God (the church) has grown rapidly over the years. The most valuable friends I have today are those I met in the body of Christ. I feel the bonds with these amazing people like blood in my veins. When I take a look around the various friendships that were established in the church by different people around my local church environment, I see beauty in the language of family surrounding them all.
The church is the anecdote to a world void of true friendships, because it is a place where:
1. Genuine love thrives. In the church we are taught to treat one another with genuine love, this naturally helps our friendships wax stronger.
2. Friendships extend to a family-like bond. Jesus emphasized the unity of God’s family. That's why we commonly refer to one another as brothers and sisters.
3. Community is emphasized. The church is a place where friendships are built naturally as a result of the community spirit amongst us.
In the end, true friends help us thrive better in every aspect of life with their loyalty and honesty; they help bring us closer to God. Most importantly, they know when to lift us up and when to gently discourage us from making poor choices. What better place to get such quality friends other than the church?