Friend First

The Bible tells us that for a man to have friends, he must show himself friendly. Note that it doesn't promise that, if you're friendly, people WILL reciprocate. There are some people that you can be just as nice as you please...and they'll treat you like the scum of the earth anyway. It's so easy in those situations to act in kind, but you'll never win that way. Smile, be nice...and move on. That's the only way to beat people like that. You may never convert them into a friend--or you may. Either way, be sure that at the end of the day you can say, "I did the right thing." You'll feel better about yourself, you'll have a less strained relationship with God, and others will notice. You will only gain friends if you ARE a friend first.