FRIENDS - Louis Fife

God has placed in every human heart a longing for connection. We are created for relationship with Him and with one another. That longing isn’t a weakness or a flaw; it’s a divine imprint. And because of that, friendship becomes one of the greatest opportunities for encouragement, support, and mutual growth. But Jesus brings us back to a foundational truth: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” That command assumes something important: you already know how to love yourself. Not in a self-focused or self-indulgent way, but in a healthy, grounded, God-shaped way. Because here’s the reality: If you don’t love yourself, you won’t easily love other people. You simply can’t give what you don’t have. Self-love and self-acceptance aren’t optional extras; they’re the starting point. They shape how we relate, how we respond, and how we show up in community.