None of us can deny that friendships have a huge impact on us.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.”

How many of us can think of a time when a good friend helped us through something tough?

When we think about our friendships, it’s easy to think about what we GET out of the relationship. We wonder, ‘Does so-and-so support ME? Do they help ME? Are they there for ME?’

There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s just not the whole picture.

I have a saying. It’s that good friends make good friends gooder. I realize “gooder” isn’t a word. But it seems more memorable when I say it like that! lol

So just as your good friends can support and strengthen you—and make you “gooder”—you should also be a person who supports and strengthens THEM. When they ask themselves that same set of questions—questions like whether or not you support THEM and help THEM and are there for THEM—would they answer Yes?

I realize that none of us have a perfect track record. But when it comes to cultivating quality friendships, we should be equally as concerned with what we give as with what we get.

“If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.” Sometimes you’re the one who does the falling. But sometimes you’re the one who does the helping.

Good friends make good friends gooder.

By Matthew Ruttan

–How to be a person of your word in a world of verbal mistrust. That’s my latest blog which takes you to two podcasts in my latest teaching series. Here’s the link. Enjoy!
–Click here to learn about the first Sunday of Advent at Westminster.
-“Up!” is published 5 days a week and returns on December 3rd.
-Bible quotes are from the New International Version.