Book Review: Made For People, By: Justin Whitmel Earley
THREE QUOTES
“With rebuke, on the other hand, we are often afraid of being judgmental. Our cultural moment thinks of friends as the people who are nonjudgmental when it comes to our flaws. We like to keep them around because they ‘accept us as we are.’ But that assumes that ‘who we are’ is ‘who we should be'. It assumes that following our hearts will lead us to good places. The only problem is that those are wildly dangerous assumptions. When the honesty we need is seen as judgment we should avoid, we are in a really bad spot.” - Justin Whitmel Earley
“We were made for people, and when we live close to them, we flourish. When we let ourselves drift along the invisible current into loneliness, a real part of us beings to wither, and eventually, it dies. The enemy knows this. Which is why loneliness is not just dangerous, it is evil.” - Justin Whitmel Earley
“We need one another in the fight against evil - that much is certain. But we can’t save one another. Not in the end. But there is a Friend we can save us.” - Justin Whitmel Earley
TWO TAKEAWAYS
Though God is sufficient, and in the end only Jesus can save us - we were made by our creator for friendship and relationship with others.
It is easy to think friends come and go with seasons (and some do), but maybe we let them go to easily. True - fully known- friendship requires vulnerability, honesty, covenant, forgiveness, invitation, geography, time, communication, memory, and worship.
ONE NEXT STEP
Take the first step, be awkward, and ask a friend if they want to commit to a 'covenant friendship.’
Rebecca
Buy the book HERE.