How to be a Friend.– ?????

[Bible Speaks]

 How to be a Friend.

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 (True Friends) should follow

the words of Matthew 18:

15 “Moreover, if your brother commits a sin, go lay bare his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take along with you one or two more, in order that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every matter may be established. 17 If he does not listen to them, speak to the congregation. If he does not listen even to the congregation, let him be to you just as a man of the nations and as a tax collector. 18 “Truly I say to YOU men, Whatever things YOU may bind on earth will be things bound in heaven, and whatever things YOU may loose on earth will be things loosed in heaven."

Pursue Peace

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“Let us pursue the things making for peace.”—ROM. 14:19

TRUE peace is hard to find in today’s world. Even people belonging to the same national group and speaking the same language are often divided religiously, politically, and socially. By contrast, Jehovah’s people are united despite the fact that they have come out of “all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues.”—Rev. 7:9.

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The peaceful condition that generally exists among us is no accident. It has come about primarily because we “enjoy peace with God” through our faith in his Son, whose shed blood covers our sins. (Rom. 5:1; Eph. 1:7) Moreover, the true God gives holy spirit to his loyal servants, and the fruitage of that spirit includes peace. (Gal. 5:22) Another reason for our peaceful unity is that we are “no part of the world.” (John 15:19) Rather than taking sides in political issues, we remain neutral. Having ‘beaten our swords into plowshares,’ we do not get involved in civil or international wars.—Isa. 2:4

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The peace we can enjoy with one another goes deeper than merely refraining from doing harm to our brothers. Although the congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses that we belong to may be made up of individuals from many different ethnic groups and cultures, we “love one another.” (John 15:17) Our peace allows us to “work what is good toward all, but especially toward those related to us in the faith.” (Gal. 6:10) Our peaceful spiritual paradise is something to be treasured and safeguarded. Let us, therefore, examine how we may pursue peace within the congregation.

When We Stumble

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“We all stumble many times,” wrote the disciple James. “If anyone does not stumble in word, this one is a perfect man.” (Jas. 3:2) Hence, differences and misunderstandings between fellow believers are bound to arise. (Phil. 4:2, 3) However, problems between individuals can be solved without disturbing the peace of the congregation. For example, consider the counsel we should apply if we realize that we may have offended someone.—Read Matthew 5:23, 24.

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What if we have been wronged in some small way? Should we expect the offender to come to us and apologize? “[Love] does not keep account of the injury,” states 1 Corinthians 13:5. When offended, we pursue peace by forgiving and forgetting, that is, by ‘not keeping account of the injury.’ (Read Colossians 3:13.) Minor transgressions in day-to-day life are best handled in this way, for this contributes to a peaceful relationship with fellow worshippers and gives us peace of mind. A wise proverb states: “It is beauty . . . to pass over transgression.”—Prov. 19:11

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What if we find that a certain offense is too difficult for us to overlook? Spreading the matter to as many ears as are willing to hear is certainly not the course of wisdom. Such gossip serves only to disrupt the peace of the congregation. What should be done to resolve the matter peacefully? Matthew 18:15 states: “If your brother commits a sin, go lay bare his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.” While Matthew 18:15-17 applies to sin of a serious nature, in the spirit of the principle stated in verse 15, we should kindly approach the offender privately and try to restore a peaceful relationship with him.*

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The apostle Paul wrote: “Be wrathful, and yet do not sin; let the sun not set with you in a provoked state, neither allow place for the Devil.” (Eph. 4:26, 27) “Be about settling matters quickly with the one complaining against you at law,” said Jesus. (Matt. 5:25) 

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Pursuing peace, then, calls for settling difficulties quickly. Why? Because doing so prevents differences from festering like an untreated, infected wound. Let us not allow pride, envy, or the attaching of too much importance to material things prevent us from resolving disputes soon after they arise.—Jas. 4:1-6.

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https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2011611?q=wronged&p=par