What is a true friend?

Lessons in Friendship

Today the lessons come from a movie, Gran Torino, starring Clint Eastwood. There are powerful lessons we can learn in this movie. The movie starts and ends with death. Life occurs in between. The main character in the movie, played by Clint Eastwood, gives us the ultimate sacrifice a friend can make for a friend. The end of the movie will surprise you and in it we find the main lesson built into the story. The sacrifice is found in John 15:13 - Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

Here are 7 lessons from this great movie:

1.      The art of friendship is a learned skill that can be mastered by anyone.

2.      Even a hard heart can be softened by the power of a true friendship.

3.      A friend cultivates and protects a friend in all situations.

4.      A friend creates a space in the heart for a new friend.

5.      A true friend invests in the life of a new friend.

6.      A true friend helps the new friend to get better.

7.      Revenge has no place in a heart of a friend.

If you watch the movie I am sure you can come up with many more lessons. If you do, please share them with others.

Will you join my cause to fight mediocrity in the world?

Pass these nuggets on to others.    

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy