141112

by

eighty four.

Mmmmmmmmm

Just another laundry day. Hahahaha....


Had class till 12pm.. Then lunch... Then Laundry... Then nap.. Then small group XD.

Small group was rather small today.. We were on the topic of godliness + traits of a leader. 'Twas good.. Although my heart wasn't at peace today... I was lacking patience and it got the better of me today..

But in the end it was okay, and thank God for giving me an inner peace.. On-the-spot prayers are awesome... =].

On the way back and when I got back to the room, I had a chat with a friend about 'friendships' and just talked about our experiences and struggles with it.

It really did get me thinking... Even back in Sydney, there were definitely times where I was unsure of who my real friends were... What distinguishes person A from person C, and why person D isn't giving me as much attention as person B.

12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
John 15:12-15

Love each other as Jesus has loved you... Jesus did a lot of things for the people he loved (even though most of those people despised him)... One of the greatest however, is as v.13 says... He died for them.

He made sacrifices for his friends.. He was selfless for the sake of those he loved.

Would you do the same for your friends?

Would you put money, fuel, dignity, academics and convenience second for the sake of your friends?

It definitely got me thinking... I have failed countless times in terms of faithfulness to my friends... Now that I am here, several thousand miles away, I look back and am ashamed.
I now long for something that I took for granted in the past yet was so easily obtainable.
A few months back, I could simply call a few people and organise an impromptu dinner... Or drive over to their houses just to have a cup of coffee.
How I wish I could do it now... But I'm afraid the physical distance and the financial burden is too great... But in 7 months time... 7 months time I will be able to see my friends again.


In conclusion, I have found quantifying friendships to be unhelpful. You don't measure friendship by how many times you see them. Instead, you should measure it by the quality within the times and experiences you share together and that no matter how many days go by without seeing each other, none of that affects the next encounter with them. 

But I also encourage you... Be prepared to make sacrifices for your friends. Don't always take. 
In one of my MGMT classes last year, on the topic of Negotiation... You're only as valuable as the offer you make to the other person; if your offer does not weigh up to the other party, don't expect them to be staying for long.

In reality, it is very applicable to friendships... If someone right now is really pursuing to build a friendship with you but you are constantly turning them down or your response is half-hearted... Don't be surprised when they lose interest in you and find another person/group of people who actually appreciate their efforts.


Interestingly, but on a separate topic, today's small group session also covered hypocrisy. 
God detests hypocrites... Definitely a trait that no one should pursue..
For that reason, I have become more alert of the words that come out of my mouth. It is easier to find fault in someone else than it is in yourself. Furthermore, it is more common to look at another person judgmentally than it is to evaluate yourself judgmentally.

I must be wary of what I say and whether or not I am acting out what I am saying. I do not want to live a double-life so if you guys feel a hint that I am... Let me know and rebuke me... Before my own words destroy me.


Thankful: Fruitful small group session and a valuable chat.

Prayerful: Humility, integrity and wisdom of speech.

Dangers: My impatience almost caused me to act out in anger... If it weren't for God's intervention, it could have costed me a friend.