ABOUT FRIENDS OF MEN

“Once you understand your neighbor, you will become tolerant, and this tolerance will grow into friendship and ripen into love.” [UB 1098:01]

Thought Adjuster: “Let us elaborate on the above statement. It explains the natural process of the expansion of human relationships. Indeed, love germinates from the seed of mutual understanding.

“As you frequently witness on your world, the opposite case scenario reveals that, whenever that foundation of tolerance is lacking, there ensue division and antagonisms—clashes of the minds and of the hearts.

“In order to grow to love someone or some new area of your life experience, you have to develop a genuine interest. You have to perform a diligent research. What I mean by that in regard to your connections to individuals, is that you have to get to know the unique background that molded them into who they currently are.

“As you do so, you become able to look at them with eyes of empathy and compassion, as you come to understand the degree of their personal struggles and come to consider them as ‘brothers-and-sisters-in-arms’—each one bearing their own cross and qualifying for medals of honor, as they are doing their best to deal with the at times grueling hand that life dealt them.

“Understanding your neighbors makes you more tolerant toward them, and tolerance is a mighty precursor of peace. As your connection becomes peace-infused, a genuine friendship can develop, thus inviting you to a more in-depth connection with these individuals and a growing sense of appreciation. Indeed, as you mutually let down your guard, more life force is invested in that relationship, naturally leading it to bloom into its next developmental phase—the full bloom of love.

“Those are the relational steps exemplified by Jesus, as He lived as a man among men. This is how He earned His honorary title as the Friend of Men.”