Can your friends shatter the ceiling for you?
“Friends…I’ve got friends…” so goes the line of one of the 80’s hit songs. Factually, can you really say that you’ve got friends? When the chips are down, who are those that still stay on? When your back needs to be scratched, do you trust your friends to do so without using a sharp edge sword to stab it? Who do you call a friend? That is one of the relationships that you have power of choice on. You can’t choose your family but you have every right to choose who you want in your circle as friends. Well, many people have been victims of their friends and some are blessed to have supportive friends.
There was a viral video of a little boy who had to perform a sporting routine of breaking a small plank with his foot which he did unsuccessfully for a number of times. He became frustrated and started crying but his team mates and friends would not let him give up and they kept urging him on even when he wanted to stop the task. “You can do it…” Try again…” “Go… go…,” they kept encouraging him and he it did at last. The friends then cheered and gave a group hug. This simple illustration is what friendship is about. Friendship should not be forced, it should be simple childlike relationship that is mutually beneficial to both parties. It should not be parasitic but reciprocal in nature. Friendship loses its value when one party thinks or feels the other can be used to meet some needs and when such needs are not met, then there is no need for being in the relationship. Right? Wrong!
I’m not a many friend person. Maybe it’s just me or that I can’t manage too many friends at a time. Everywhere I’ve passed, I earned at least a friend, most of which have been great. A friend once saw a job vacancy and applied on my behalf, then notified me and virtually dragged me by the hand to the interview. The job was a dream job and it blessed me tremendously. I have some friends I call family because we’ve shared so many memories; some good and some not so good but we still stick together. I have had my share of bad friendships as a young girl and I learnt a tremendous lesson from that which had helped shaped my life about who I call friends. I used that word with caution. I don’t call everyone my friend; that word carries a lot of weight and I don’t bandy it about. Here, I’m not talking of social media friends, yes some virtual friends can become real friends and lots of great thing can also happen. However, prior to meeting physically virtual friends would have exhibited same characteristics of good friendship.
Do you call everyone your friend? Do you share interests and love being around your friends? Do you have one another back? Are your friends genuinely happy for your success? Do you act towards your friends the way you expect them to act towards you? Anyway, there is no guarantee you’ll get what you give but give your best. If your relationship is filled with rancour and jealousy then why give room to such. There is an easy way out. There was no contract at the beginning and none at the end.

Road signs are also made to help each driver navigate, have a smooth ride and avoid road accidents. The most basic thing about driving is maintaining your lane. You can’t drive in a zig-zag, you have to be on course. When changing lane you have to give indications you’re about to do that, make sure you have a clear view and not put other drivers at risk. I’ve had to cause to keep saying “please maintain your lane” to myself. I rarely talk to other drivers and I don’t shout but when I make some statements like the above I wished they could hear me. Unfortunately, not many road users observe or follow road signs, this sometimes leads to great mistakes and cause casualties.

Some friends hold you by the hand to walk hilly paths. Some swim along with you in the tides and others offer you a back to ride on when your road isn’t smooth. In the scriptures, we read about some young men that broke through the ceiling just to bring their friend to Jesus so he could be healed. Have friends that would shatter the ceiling for you in your circle! Don’t hang around dream killers. There are also fair weather friends, who are only there when the sun is shining brightly. Some friends you carry in your heart and keep their contacts but they don’t even know if you still exist. Get over them, they’re not your friends. Don’t lose sleep over a bad friend.
Choose your friends wisely and avoid drama when you see one in your relationship. Some friends are for a reason, some for a season and some for a lifetime.
Live life to the fullest!