After Burn: The Friendship Plan (Week 3)

+Last night I think that most of you understood the main point I was trying to make; the point that the most helpful thing you can do for a friend is to point them back to Jesus.  He's the one who created them.  He's the one who knows them the best.  He's the one who laid down His life so that we all can be forgiven of our sin.  And I think that many of you really want to help your friends know Jesus more.  So I want to give you some things to keep in mind while you're trying to take that next step.

• Listen more than you talk:  James 1:19 says " . . . Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak . ."  Easy to read, hard to do.  Remember people want to be heard.  I heard a girl say last night, "Sometimes, I just want to vent."  Be there for your friends when they want to vent.
• Get to the heart of the matter:  Try to help your friend understand what's the main problem.  A great way to figure out what's going on is to ask questions like, "What's the big deal about this?"  "What are you feeling?"  "How would you like things to be?  Why?"  Questions like this can get you on the right track. 
  
• Look at Jesus' life:  Hebrews 4:13 reminds us that "we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, . . ."  Jesus was a real man, who really lived, and He really understands what we go though.  For example, his friends fought.  His family misunderstood him.  He made people mad.  His friends left him hangin' (no pun intended).  He was made fun of, beat up, and betrayed.  When helping our friends, try to make connections with their lives and Jesus' life. 
  
• Wait on God's timing:  Sometime in our efforts to help someone we'll say things to friends when they aren't ready to hear.  We need to be watchful for the door to open to have good conversations.   Don't bust down the door so you can talk.  But don't run away when God opens the door either.  Be ready when God opens the door.  Know what you're going to say, and take the first step. 
  

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