How important are your friends?

Have you ever done a study on friendship? Probably not, right? I mean, who wants to sit around and read up on 'friendship' when you have friends and know exactly what friendship is?

Did you know that around 25% of Americans don't have a close friend to confide in? That's 1 in 4! According to a 2006 study, we are becoming more and more lonely. In parallel, we are becoming more and more sick. It is noted that the declines in heath and friendship are near the same slopes.

It seems that in our "Modern" day and age, we have decided that real friendship is overrated and put it low on our list of priorities. We'd rather zone out with an iPod or XBox than use energy building a relationship.

Take a moment to read Ecclesiastes 4:8-12 (roll over the text). Do you really want to be the guy who's creating great things for himself, but has no one to share with? 'All for nothing' quipt King Solomon.

Friends bring us more than just health benefits. They have benefits we can not even fully comprehend. I can not imagine my life without my friends. They comfort me, encourage me, bless me, share with me, laugh with me (and even at me), and they love me. They also give me the opportunity to grow in the virtues of loving, giving, sacrificing, encouragement, compassion, understanding, and a hundred others. Without my friends, I would not grow. Thank you dear friends.

I charge you readers. Go be a friend. A real friend. Winnie the Pooh once said "It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like "What about lunch?"" Go deeper. Do more than just lunch. God wants us to learn intimacy with each other as much as we are learning it with him. Dive deep into the waters which friendship treads. It will be hard. You will have to be vulnerable. You will have to let someone in, to learn about you and your strengths and your weaknesses. You will have to take a risk. You will get hurt. That hurt is worth it. It is SO worth it.

You don't have to have a large number of friends. Two or three will do just fine. It's the quality of those friendship that matter.

Ladies. Single ladies. I urge you to press on in your friendships. If you keep close friends, you are much less likely (or less frequently) to feel lonely and pursue comfort in a man. You will not get yourself wrapped up in an unhealthy relationship. Not only will you end up with any old 'poser' who might come along, but you're friends will be there to point out who he really is!

So go on! Go find someone to invite to coffee or steak, or a game of cards or tiddly-winks.