Friendships and relationships are important. No matter how brilliant, powerful or creative you consider yourself to be, you are going to need people. You need a family, friends, partners, mentors and other kinds of support systems. These relationships nourish and sustain us. Relationships are so vital, that you cannot just lay back and allow things to happen. Do you sit still and allow emotional bonds to form due to access and proximity? And then cling on tight to these relationships regardless of what happens? It is time to have a rethink. Our relationships should be guided by principles. Do not have permanent friends. Have permanent principles.
You do not need to designate permanent friendships and relationships. What you need to have are permanent principles. When you do this, be ready to attract new people into your life and push back others. If you refuse to compromise your principles, you always get to a point where the best thing to do is to part ways. This will not be an easy decision and some consultation and guidance might be required. However, a lot of times, it is inevitable. This principle is consistent with the spirit of the Holy Bible. We are instructed to shun fellowship with those who do not share our values. Do not be unequally yoked with people who do not share your faith and values.
Your friends are a big influence on you, they often have much more influence over you than you would ever want to admit. The more you hang out with them – either in person or online – the more you start becoming like them. And besides over time, as people change, so do their contributions into your life. Some friends keep evolving positively over time, becoming better and better, while some other friends may take a plunge for the worse. While it is your responsibility to be a positive influence on your friends and try to make them better people, you cannot expect to change everyone. You have to draw the line at common principles, values, and passion for a better world.
