You’re Calling People Friends Who Haven’t Earned It

Main message: True Christian friendship is covenantal and requires clear standards — don’t tolerate one-sided, exploitative relationships; expect friends to reflect Jesus by honoring you, sacrificing for you, being teachable, and proving trustworthy over time.

Key points:

• Know the difference between goals (ceiling) and standards (floor): your standard is what you tolerate; don’t accept unjust, parasitic relationships.
• A friend carries honor: they will speak hard truths to you out of respect and love, but with grace and care.
• A friend is willing to sacrifice: real friends inconvenience themselves and "lay down" comfort for your well-being.
• A friend is teachable/humble: they can receive instruction and be guided — doers of Jesus’ commands are his friends.
• A friend has heat‑tested character and trustworthiness: friendship should be proven over time, not granted prematurely.

Scriptures mentioned: Proverbs (unjust/dishonest scales), Proverbs 27:6, John 14, John 16, John 15:13-15, John 6, Colossians 4:6