Having friends is very important in your journey through life.

Some people say that it is important to pick the right ones. Pick friends that are going to lift you up and support your decisions.

I disagree.

I don’t think you should choose your friends wisely, because I don’t think you should choose your friends. You should be friends with everyone. We love because He first loved us. We are called to love, and to show Christ’s love. And not just to the people we choose, but to everyone.

Make friends with everyone.

This doesn’t mean that you won’t have closer friends, because obviously you will. That is just how people are, and I think that it is great to have really good close friends. People that you can count on. People that know you really well.

But that doesn’t mean that you exclude others. There is a difference between having close friends and having a clique. Yes, there are some people that you will spend more time with than others. That’s great. What’s not great is making someone feel like an outsider.

I understand that you won’t want to hang out with everyone every time, but it is more important to show kindness and love. If you notice someone feeling left out, and you will notice, include them.

The difference between a close group of friends and a clique is when people feel like they can’t approach.

Be conscious of that. Don’t roll your eyes when someone feels excluded from your group of friends. No matter how annoying they are, talk to them. Be approachable. It hurts to feel like you can’t go up and talk to someone. It hurts to be sitting at a table with people that are all friends with each other and don’t show friendship to you.

It is our responsibility to reach out to people and befriend them. Don’t make them talk to you. Be approachable, and also approach.

Being a friend also means forgiveness. It means showing the grace that you undeservedly receive each and every day. God forgave your sins today, so forgive the sins of others. It isn’t always easy, but it is what we are called to do.

God loves us unconditionally, which is a love we need to strive to imitate every day, in our friendships, and to everyone.

It is important to have close friends that support you. But there is a difference between supporting you and supporting your decisions. I will always support my friends, but I won’t always support the decisions they are making if I don’t believe them to be right. But that doesn’t mean I won’t love my friend through it and support who they are.

I will love them unconditionally.

I will love my close friends. I will love my friends. I will love the person I just met. I will love the strangers in my class. I will strive to show love and forgiveness to everyone, because that is what I am called to do.

Because Jesus loves me.