To have a friend, be a friend, right? This is God's truth. You don't like your friends angry, raging, full of evil malice, slandering your good name, or spewing filthy talk and lies.

Sure, sin squeezes these vices into conversations, but among friends it's not the norm. You're a Christian. You set your mind on things above. You know how to be a good friend and find a good friend. You encourage; they encourage.

And the power source for such friendly living? "You have been raised with Christ." And that means you are "God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved." So it's no wonder you "clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Think about when you felt upset with a friend. Was he or she less than compassionate when you tried to explain a break-up, a lost chance, a failed test? Was he less kind than you had hoped. How could she have been more gentle and patient? Did your friend use Allen Iverson's in-your-face communication style to tell you what was on his mind?

Consider verse 13 again. "Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."

Did you forgive your grievance and love your friend back even when he failed to meet your needs? Did you dump the dumb friend? Or did you put yourself in his place?

Jesus forgives every wounded soul. That incredible gesture motivates even the most wounded to forgive others-even a friend who acts like a creep.

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly." That's where you'll find real wisdom. God's wisdom beats the best of "Dear Abby" any day.

So let God's word guide you as you face difficulties and disasters with gentleness and patience. As you share the peaks of life with humility. As you encourage friends with Christ-like love and watch encouragement bounce back. And "do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus," motivated by his love.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.