Chapter 33
Good Monday Morning to this week 33 of 2023
Friendship is a sheltering tree. S. Taylor Coleridge.
Sweet friendships refresh the soul. Proverbs 27.9
They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.
Carl W. Buechner
I am currently reading a 50-page study called “in good company” regarding friendships in Switzerland.
“Whether for eternity – or not. High-quality relationships with friends, partners, and family not only lead to greater life satisfaction but also have a positive impact on health. Friendships counteract the feelings of loneliness or social distancing. Friendships strengthen social cohesion. The study set out to find out what else friendships achieve and how they develop.
For this reason, the Migros Cultural Fund commissioned the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute GDI to create the first major Swiss Friendship Study. The GDI study, titled “In Good Company,” provides representative insights into friendships throughout Switzerland for the first time. Diversity, significance, characteristics, and peculiarities of this form of relationship are examined. Can we also speak of a “friendship recession” in this country? What significance, functions, and peculiarities do friendships have in Switzerland?
If you’re interested I can send you the pdf by email. But now let’s get on with it …
Close friendships are hard to develop: Half of the survey participants have made one new close friendship within the last four years. Even if good friends do not have to see each other often, a time-intensive initial phase seems to be necessary in many cases for the friendship to develop. Friendship needs common ground: Best friends are usually of similar age and in four out of five cases they are of the same gender. When it comes to non-demographic similarities, humour plays a decisive role. Almost half of the friends interviewed met at school, in training or at work – another fifth met through mutual friends, partners or family. Younger people tend to get to know each other in institutionalised settings such as school, while older people have to seek out more active contexts to make friends.
Therefore, our perspective on friendship involves viewing it as voluntary bonds between individuals, founded upon mutual empathy and trust, that endure over an extended period. These bonds are cultivated for their inherent worth, nurturing enjoyment, emotional vulnerability, and reciprocal support.
What keeps surprising me is; that the concept of friendship with God is based on several themes and passages found in the Bible. While the term “friendship” might not always be explicitly used, the idea is conveyed through various narratives, teachings, and relationships depicted in the scriptures. Here are some aspects that contribute to the notion of friendship with God;
Intimate Relationship: These relationships go beyond mere obedience and reverence, this friendship has communicaiton directly with God and are even described as having conversations with Him.
Covenant: Many biblical friendships with God are rooted in covenants with many examples of these as binding agreements that signify a close relationship.
Open Dialogue: The Bible depicts instances where individuals openly communicate with God, sharing their thoughts, doubts, fears, and desires.
Divine Guidance: Friends often seek advice and counsel from each other, and similarly, individuals in the Bible turn to God for guidance and wisdom in various situations.
Love and Care: The relationship between God and His people is compared to that of a father and children, emphasizing a close and loving bond.
Redemption and Reconciliation: This restoration, achieved through Jesus, signifies not only forgiveness but also a renewed connection akin to reconciliation between friends.
Exodus 33: The interaction between Moses and God reflects a deep relationship, where Moses seeks to know God’s ways and God reveals His presence.
John 15: Jesus describes His followers as friends, emphasizing the mutual relationship of love and obedience.
Abraham believed in God, which was counted to him as righteousness, and he was called a friend of God.” James 2:23
Wishing you numerous and enriching friendships, but above all, the blessing of being a friend of God!
Philemon