Friend
Repeat after me “I will here out Tom Tonight… 30 million zits… ears, mouth, and face.
A true friend accepts their friends by loving them no matter what. But a friend’s act of love is often holding them accountable to what they say and do. And they do it quickly and directly.
Titus 1:10-14
10For there are many disorderly and unruly men who are idle (vain, empty) and misleading talkers and self-deceivers and deceivers of others., 11Their mouths must be stopped, for they are mentally distressing and subverting whole families by teaching what they ought not to teach…Because it is true, rebuke them sharply [deal sternly, even severely with them], so that they may be sound in the faith and free from error, 14[And may show their soundness by] ceasing to give attention to …myths and fables or to rules [laid down] by [mere] men who reject and turn their backs on the Truth.
Rebuke Sharply
Accountability
- “A true friend stabs you in the front – Oscar Wilde
Letting Our friends hurt themselves in the name of friendship is the most contradictory thing I’ve ever heard.
The Call list:
Drinking, pride, sex, foul language (swearing or just inappropriate), not coming to church, cheating on tests-homework-papers (they let Google think for them).
Everybody does it… that’s just how things are…
Banking on the words and ways of people Vs. the words and ways of God.
Which one works better? Which one never changes? Which one saves lives?
Pagan Worship
- doing only what you want to do and are most comfortable with.
You: But Tom, I’m nervous
Me: That’s ok, but what you’re feeling is not from God
2 Timothy 1:7
7For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
That nervousness is not from God, but the enemy. Fight it and Care enough, be passionate enough to say something.
*****Titanic 3 million rivets illustration – p.29*****
From the tone of voice that we use w/ those around us, to our negative attitudes, to the neglect of our spiritual and physical health, we can’t hesitate to call out.
“If you’re not willing to be bold with fellow friends to the point of risking the friendship, then your friendship has superficial value. True Friends, stab you in the front.”
But Tom, don’t judge lest ye be judged…
1. If you’re quoting KJV at me you probably can’t even tell me where that passage is.
2. This verse is a great test of our motives.
a. “Am I willing to be held accountable on the same problem and in all other areas of my life?”
If Ketchup calls out Mustard on it’s shortcomings can Mustard call out Ketchup on his? Of course, because if Ketchup was perfect then it would be the only condiment out there.
You are the complement to God’s story, but you’re not the only one. You have to be the best complement you can be and help your friends do the same.
End Quote:
“Complementing a friend is great. But if you’re not calling a friend out when something in their life stinks, then you’re just putting cologne on the poop in their life where you could be taking it away.”
“To suppress a truth is to give it force beyond endurance.”
