I cherish the friendships I’ve had through the years. However, some connections seem to fade over time. Other relationships deepen as we share life experiences because sharing is key to a friendship’s growth.

You may be familiar with the saying “something is alive if it grows, breathes and eats.” It’s a litmus test often used when exploring nature. But what if we applied the same criteria to our friendships?

I’ve discovered moments of transparency, common values, encouragement and prayer breathe life into a friendship bond.

“The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense” (Proverbs 27:9 NLT).

But to continue to feed a friendship, it requires our time and attention. Proverbs gives us a good place to start:

“The seeds of good deeds become a tree of life; a wise person wins friends” (Proverbs 11:30 NLT).

 However, other “seeds” can do more damage than delight:

“A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends” (Proverbs 16:8 NLT).

As we gather with friends, it helps to remember our focus. What we feed a friendship strengthens or weakens the bond.

Scripture mentions the words, “friend,” “friends” or “friendship” over 200 times. Maybe this explains why attending to friendship matters, helps me see how much my friends matter to God.

As the holidays approach, my friends and I plan to connect by meeting for coffee, having lengthy long-distance chats or coming together for dinner parties. I look forward to us sharing good deeds, laughs and wisdom.

As you consider your friendships, are they growing or stagnant? What are some of your favorite ways to feed a friendship? I’d love to hear your ideas in the comment section.

This post is part of my “Lessons I’ve Learned About Life (so far)” series for the #write31days challenge. To find out more start here.