How to pick your friends and their noses.

You can pick your friends but you can't pick your friends nose'. -unknown author

I completely disagree.

You can definitely pick your friends nose. In fact, it's easy, just stick your hand up there and before you know it, you're digging for gold.

Got it? Good!

Now that we've settled how to pick your friends nose, let's talk about picking your friend over your friendship with your friend...

'A real friend cares more about the friend than the friendship with a friend'. -unknown author

I completely agree.

Although i'll be the first to champion great friendships, I think it's important to note that the real beauty of truly great friendships is not the actual friendship itself but rather the courage to choose your friend over your friendship. 

For instance, I've been faced multiple times with the choice of having difficult conversations with certain good friends...

Conversations that would either save my friend from driving off a cliff (if they saw value in what i said) or potentially derail and change the nature of our friendship forever (if they didn't see value in what I said).

The easy thing to do would be to avoid the confrontation, say a prayer for my buddy, risk nothing and save the friendship.

The godly thing to do would be to risk the friendship for the sake of the friend because...

Unless you love your friend more than you love your friendship with your friend you're only loving yourself.

Greater love has no man than he who lays down his life for his friend -Jesus.

This kind of love Jesus speaks about here is so dangerous because it's costly, uncomfortable and sometimes costs us friendships.

But if we pursue it, in the end we end up looking a whole lot like the best friend that ever lived... Jesus!

Have you ever lost a friendship because of a friend?

If your answer to that question is no, you should have at least come close. If not, then chances are you care more about your friendships than your friends.

Be honest, what have you generally placed more value on through your actions, the friendship or the friend?

What virtue do you admire most in a friend?  Also, what are some things you've learned about friendships over the years? Other thoughts?

Buffet of questions today folks. Tackle it all or just pick one. Either way, I'd LOVE to hear from you.