Be Friendly

A man who has friends must himself be friendly...

Proverbs 18:24, NKJV

I got a pleasant surprise today.  While out walking Rosie for her regular necessity, I saw one of my neighbors carrying an armload of stuff out of his apartment.  He's not one of the neighbors whose names I know, nor one with whom I've ever had a conversation.  But we always wave or nod or smile when we happen to be outside at the same time.  And today I asked, "You moving out?"  So many of our neighbors are.

"Yes, he replied.  Finished with a year of school, he's apparently going back home.  And then he said something that absolutely astonished me.  "I've just gotta say, out of all my neighbors, you've always been the friendliest."

Really?  I asked myself.  And it got me to thinking.  Our behavior toward others has an affect, for better or worse.  Whether or not we realize they are watching, whether or not we ever know if they even care, we should be watchful and careful about how we treat others.

It costs me nothing at all to share a smile with someone.  Or to say hello as you pass on the sidewalk.  The other day I remarked to my cousin in a very small town how nice it was to be someplace where everyone waved at you as you drove down the road whether they knew you or not.  It costs me nothing at all to share a few words and ask after someone's well being.  And though it costs me nothing, the returns on an investment of friendliness can be amazing!

These last few days I've had lots of opportunity to reflect upon friendship.  A girl I grew up with (she was 38) died unexpectedly a couple weeks ago.  In a town of 1000 people, I estimate 600 were in attendance at her funeral.  Friends came in from all over the United States to celebrate the life of this wonderful woman that we all loved.  The service was streamed live over the Internet for people who couldn't attend.  And to my knowledge there wasn't a bad thing anybody could even say about her.  She touched alot of people's lives in such a positive way.  And she was one of the happiest, laughingest, funnest people I've ever known.

I could tell dozens of stories about how important friendship has become to me through the years, and the benefits I have received as the result of being friendly.  But I think you know what I mean.

If you don't want to be bothered by people; if you don't want to be troubled with friendship and relationship ties to others; if you don't want folks intruding on your life...then keep being the miserable, grouchy, unsmiling, mean-spirited, selfish person that you are.  I guarantee you, people will leave you alone.  But if you want friends, be friendly.

I'll tell you this, you never know when you're going to need a friend.  And you never know who is affected by your friendliness, until they walk up and tell you.  Be a blessing to someone else today.  They might need it.