What I See Friends As: F-R-I-E-N-D-S

F-R-I-E-N-D-S is an acronym that captures the process of choosing, initiating, and sustaining godly relationships. It is built on the principle of taking control of our destiny, setting the pace of our relationships, and enforcing alignment with our goals, values, and convictions.

🔖 F – Find and Locate People Heading in Your Direction The places we hang out often reveal the kind of people who will hang around us. Your “lifestyle locations”—cinemas, clubs, churches, sports fields—show your passions and interests. If you want friends who share your destiny, position yourself in the right places.

🔖 R – Reach Out to Your Value Type and Learn to Smile Your value type are people with mutual values. Friendship begins with openness—learn to greet, smile, and engage those who are aligned with your convictions.

🔖 I – Initiate with Intention (implicit in the process) Building a friendship requires courage to take the first step. Do not wait passively—be intentional in initiating meaningful connections.

🔖 E – Examine Your Past Relationships Friends will come and go, but wisdom comes from reflection. Ask yourself:

What was the purpose of that relationship?

Did I uphold my values?

What complaints did friends have about me—were some valid?

Did wrong assumptions hurt the friendship?

Are there character flaws I must address?

Learning from the past refines how we choose friends in the future.

🔖 N – None is Perfect There are no perfect friends. Flexibility is key. True friendship means being open to ideas, compromising where possible, and negotiating differences without violating your principles.

🔖 D – Determine Your Territory Define boundaries. Respect leaders, mentors, pastors, and teachers. Friendship should never override principles or destiny. No friend should be “too special” to make you compromise your values.

🔖 S – Say Stop When It Is Needful When a friend begins to lead you into unhealthy waters, know when to end it. If a relationship draws you away from your purpose, purity, or faith, it is time to walk away. Sometimes obedience to God means letting go.

✨ Summary: True friendship is built intentionally. It requires wisdom to choose, courage to initiate, humility to compromise, discipline to set boundaries, and discernment to walk away when necessary.