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Questions & Answers

Friendship

Faith Q&A › Metropolitan Youssef › Youth, Dating and Friendship › Friendship

The question

When you come across people who are not all too good a company, what should one do under the light of Christian teachings?

The answer

There are two things that we need to look at:
  1. God put this person in your life for a reason.

  2. How to be a true friend?
In our lives we will meet many people. We do have the free will to choose who to like and who to avoid. Maybe God put these people in your way so you can have a good influence on them, not the opposite, and we have many examples in the Holy Bible. Maybe they do not have anyone to tell them what's right and what is wrong. This person might resent you giving them advice, but can learn from your actions. Don't try to offend them or tell them in their faces that they are lying or not trust worthy.

The second point is how can I be a good friend and set an example? A true friend should be:
  1. Loving.

  2. Patient.

  3. A good listener.

  4. Provide comfort and guidance.

  5. Give the right advice not the one you or the other person want to hear.

  6. Trust worthy, reliable and always there for you.

  7. Never watch you make wrong decision, but help you make good ones.

  8. Accept you for who you are.
I can go on and on, but if I want to sum it all in one word, I will say a true friend should love. If you have true love in your heart everything else just falls in place.

You mentioned the answer to your own question when you wrote: "do we stay patient and try to maybe help them or change them to have a different aspect on life." It looks like you know what to do, but not sure how to do it. You can't do it on your own. You need lots of prayers for that person and yourself. But if you feel that those friends will influence you negatively; I recommend avoiding them and pray for them as the Holy Bible says, "evil communications corrupt good manners" (1 Cor 15:33).

"A loyal friend is like a safe shelter; find one, and you have found a treasure." (Sirach 6:14)

Answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab)

Related questions

Questions answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab) of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Question 223 on the Diocese’s Q&A site. Questions and answers © Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. All rights reserved.