It is getting closer and closer to the moment where Christ Walk Kids will be released. I am so stinking excited for my next project. :)
Here is another excerpt from from Day 22 of the book to share with you and your kids!
Day
22: Take Care of Your Friends
Biblical
Big Idea: He denounces his friends for gain, and his children’s eyes fail. ––Job
17:5
We
are supposed to love our neighbors as ourselves. Our friends are our neighbors.
Our friends, especially ones we click with for a lifetime, will be those that
hold us up through the storms of life. My friends are my “posse.” They are the
people I talk to when I am not sure what my problems are and to see how they have
handled similar situations. My friends have my back. We jokingly call this, “We
are Groot.” Groot, from Guardians of the
Galaxy, takes care of his friends. Groot wraps his friends in his deep
roots to protect them from danger. Groot also comes back to life because his
roots are strong and his relationships with his friends go deep. Groot has his
friends’ backs. Together, the Guardians are far stronger than if they were
acting apart.
To have good friends, you first need to
be a good friend. Good friends build you up. They do not tear you down. Similarly,
you should build your friends up. Help them make good decisions, just as you
are learning to make good decisions. Be each others Groot. Groot is strong
because his roots grow deep. Your friendship will grow strong as your roots
grow deep with each other. Friends can last a lifetime if they are the right
friends. They are the sorts of people that you can pick up a conversation with
after ten years, and it is as though the initial conversation never ended. Lifetime
friends are those whose love continues to grow no matter how far apart they may
be. Lifetime friends are God's gift to
us. Your friends should not lead you down a path of self-destruction. If your “friends”
are urging you to do things that do not show love to yourself, the people
around you, or your parents, they are not real friends. Friends love one
another.
Taking care of our friends shows the
covenant of God’s love for us with one another. It shows love to ourselves, to
one another, and to the world around us. Having good friends and being a good
friend teaches us the discipline of how we should treat other people. Good
friends show forgiveness, kindness, support, love, and caring. These are all
things we should be cultivating not only for our friends and family but also
for everyone around us.
Things
to think about:
1. How
am I a good friend?
2. Do
I have a good friend?
3. What
do I think makes my friendships special?
4. Do
I talk with my friends about God? Would I like to?
