The Heart of Friendship

I wanted to share a link today to the RUF website's blog where Marc Corbett (Campus Minister at RUF Lynchburg & Liberty University) posted a great article about the basis of friendship.

One of the greatest gifts my own RUF community at Belmont gave me was some amazing, gospel-centered friendships. I think this is also one of the things that many college students long for when going off to school and often times don't find. For how much we talk about community, often times college campuses are places devoid of true friendship because of an overly competitive and selfish social environment.

Here is a great quote from Marc's post to get you started:
"Love is most evident among the practice of repentance and forgiveness.
None of this comes naturally and the “45 and unders” steer clear of things that are unnatural because that means inauthentic.  But, Jesus calls us to love in a different way than the way that is “natural.”  “For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?”– Matt. 5:46.  
Could it be true that the real reason we don’t have friends is because of our legalism over what a true friend looks like?  Our ideal keeps us from the real.  We look for friends to make us less lonely, give us assurance, etc.  But our expectations kill friendship before it can begin.  No one can live up to our new law."

Great stuff right? 


I just love the insight that my generation avoids the "unnatural" because it means inauthentic. While unnatural might mean that, all to many times it is just the way we avoid the difficult business of being conformed to Christ. I once had an English teacher who said, "Your generation works till it hurts, and it hurts real fast." We rely so much on how we feel, and when things feel hard we think it is a sign that we aren't doing the right thing. Yet my campus minister always reminded me that this is the lure of sin. Righteousness often feels like death at the time, but brings new life. While sin feels easy and good at the time, but only leads to death.


I have seen this in my own friendships. Often times repentance and forgiveness feel like death. Yet the relationships in which this must be a regular part of our life together, are the relationships that have flourished and taught me the most about Christ.

What a great insight into the mind of college students as well as great advice for all of our friendships!

To read all of Marc's article you can click here