The Case Against Many Friendships
(by Dagm, who had infinite friendships)
When it comes to choosing people to interact and be entwined with, the more isn't the merrier. Infact in the most simplest statistics there are more bad influences in the world than good ones. So the more people you befriend and get closer to the more you're gathering bad influences around you.
Having so many friendships, though sounds exciting, makes you extremely shallow. You will take people as easily replaceable and interchangable assets instead of actually considering them as people. You will literally spend years switching from this to that person and never forming anything deeper.
It is expensive. Maintaining friendships isn't an easy task it takes a whole lot. It takes emotional, intellectual, energy, time, monetary and even spiritual investment. Imagine spending your limited self on so many friends. Imagine how so little it will be for the people receiving it and how emptying it is on your side.
It is literally proven among millions of friendships that smaller circles are the most joyful, deeper, maturing, life long kinds of friendships than larger circles.
Finally, the bible itself asserts this fact by saying "ወዳጅ የሚያበዛ ሰው ራሱን ለጥፋት ይዳርጋል" — ምሳሌ 18:24
(by Dagm, who had infinite friendships)
When it comes to choosing people to interact and be entwined with, the more isn't the merrier. Infact in the most simplest statistics there are more bad influences in the world than good ones. So the more people you befriend and get closer to the more you're gathering bad influences around you.
Having so many friendships, though sounds exciting, makes you extremely shallow. You will take people as easily replaceable and interchangable assets instead of actually considering them as people. You will literally spend years switching from this to that person and never forming anything deeper.
It is expensive. Maintaining friendships isn't an easy task it takes a whole lot. It takes emotional, intellectual, energy, time, monetary and even spiritual investment. Imagine spending your limited self on so many friends. Imagine how so little it will be for the people receiving it and how emptying it is on your side.
It is literally proven among millions of friendships that smaller circles are the most joyful, deeper, maturing, life long kinds of friendships than larger circles.
Finally, the bible itself asserts this fact by saying "ወዳጅ የሚያበዛ ሰው ራሱን ለጥፋት ይዳርጋል" — ምሳሌ 18:24
Have standards. You don't have to refine every single thing but it's important to get the basics right atleast.
Would you randomly pick someone you met at an event to be the cofounder of your hard worked company? HELL NAH! Even if this person is promising, you would still compare them to your requirements and standards.
Then why on earth aren't you doing that when it comes to your friendships???
Have an actual bases of a standard. Think or write to yourself: I would like a friendship that is honest, Christian, intellectual, supportive, will be there when I need them, are constantly trying to get better, are at a better state than me in some aspects....
Then compare the people who want to be your friends to this and accept or decline and throughout the ages refine it even more. Perhaps you won't make new friends but your children will, so you'll tell them about your beautiful standard so they get to benefit too.
Even Jesus had standards. His just happen to be obedience to Him and it makes complete sense. "You are my friends if you do what I command you." — John 15:14
Would you randomly pick someone you met at an event to be the cofounder of your hard worked company? HELL NAH! Even if this person is promising, you would still compare them to your requirements and standards.
Then why on earth aren't you doing that when it comes to your friendships???
Have an actual bases of a standard. Think or write to yourself: I would like a friendship that is honest, Christian, intellectual, supportive, will be there when I need them, are constantly trying to get better, are at a better state than me in some aspects....
Then compare the people who want to be your friends to this and accept or decline and throughout the ages refine it even more. Perhaps you won't make new friends but your children will, so you'll tell them about your beautiful standard so they get to benefit too.
Even Jesus had standards. His just happen to be obedience to Him and it makes complete sense. "You are my friends if you do what I command you." — John 15:14
Dagmawi Babi
Have standards. You don't have to refine every single thing but it's important to get the basics right atleast. Would you randomly pick someone you met at an event to be the cofounder of your hard worked company? HELL NAH! Even if this person is promising…
Please open Telegram to view this post
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
If Person A, your close friend, recommends Person B to be your friend. It doesn't mean you should automatically accept that friendship and nurture it.
It is very important for you, to personally verify if this person is worth being close friends with and also measure them up against your standards.
It is very important for you, to personally verify if this person is worth being close friends with and also measure them up against your standards.
Now before I go, let me share something deeply meaningful about friendships which is that Real friendships are not just connections, they are covenants.
A covenant is a sacred, binding agreement between two parties often sealed with promises and conditions.
Friendships are covenants of faithfulness and loyalty. So when you look at it from this perspective you will understand how beautiful it is, how small circles and high standards matter.
A covenant is a sacred, binding agreement between two parties often sealed with promises and conditions.
Friendships are covenants of faithfulness and loyalty. So when you look at it from this perspective you will understand how beautiful it is, how small circles and high standards matter.
Dagmawi Babi
Now before I go, let me share something deeply meaningful about friendships which is that Real friendships are not just connections, they are covenants. A covenant is a sacred, binding agreement between two parties often sealed with promises and conditions.…
Please open Telegram to view this post
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
When you know that friendships are covenants, you'll understand why God made and kept his covenants with us. 😭
God, a true friend.
God, a true friend.
መዝሙር 133:1-3
"ወንድሞች ተስማምተው በአንድነት ሲኖሩ፣ እንዴት መልካም ነው! ምንኛስ ደስ ያሰኛል!
በራስ ላይ ፈስሶ፣ እስከ ጢም እንደሚዘልቅ፣ እስከ አሮን ጢም እንደሚወርድ፣ እስከ ልብሱም ዐንገትጌ እንደሚደርስ ውድ ሽቱ ነው።
ደግሞም በጽዮን ተራራ ላይ እንደሚወርድ፣ እንደ አርሞንዔም ጠል ነው፤ በዚያ እግዚአብሔር በረከቱን፣ ሕይወትንም እስከ ዘላለም አዝዟልና።"
"ወንድሞች ተስማምተው በአንድነት ሲኖሩ፣ እንዴት መልካም ነው! ምንኛስ ደስ ያሰኛል!
በራስ ላይ ፈስሶ፣ እስከ ጢም እንደሚዘልቅ፣ እስከ አሮን ጢም እንደሚወርድ፣ እስከ ልብሱም ዐንገትጌ እንደሚደርስ ውድ ሽቱ ነው።
ደግሞም በጽዮን ተራራ ላይ እንደሚወርድ፣ እንደ አርሞንዔም ጠል ነው፤ በዚያ እግዚአብሔር በረከቱን፣ ሕይወትንም እስከ ዘላለም አዝዟልና።"
Please open Telegram to view this post
VIEW IN TELEGRAM