I read a lot of quotes and I ponder and think on them and wonder, are they true or false? Help, is this true?
“Life is to be fortified by many friendships. To love and to be loved is the greatest happiness of existence.
– Sydney Smith
Consider the lilies of the field… Matt 6:28
thedailylily.com 
You ask whether,”to love and to be loved is the the greatest happiness of existence” is a true quote. I believe it is. GOD is LOVE. And He sent His only SON to die on the CROSS for our sins because LOVE loved US! (“For God so loved the world that HE gave His only begotten SON….”.) It is miraculous that we are so loved that God would sacrifice His SON to pay a debt for us which we were incapable of ever paying. I am so happy that GOD loves me! When everyone else around me fails ……GOD still loves me. When I act UNLOVELY, GOd still forgives me (because of Jesus) and still loves me. Jesus said, what good is it if you gain the whole world, its riches, political favor, social status, professional expertise, lauded and applauded by the world..beauty, fame….that kind of worldly love….but in the end lose your soul? It’s GOD-Kind of love that brings us true happiness. Your parents might fail you; your children diappoint you; your friends forsake you. BUT GOD!!!! GOD WILL NOT…for HE IS LOVE>
Prov 27:9NKJV “Ointment and perfume delight the heart, and the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel.”
Prov 18:24 “A man that has has friends must show himself friendly:”
Good thoughts MG on the love of God!
Thank you for this comment. Hearty counsel sometimes for me was not so sweet when first received. It seems to me that God speaks to you about the thing your friend will address right before your friend speaks to you. You know that your friend speaks the truth as God had just spoken to you. Weeks and years down the road you are so grateful and thankful to the friend that spoke out and gave you Godly counsel which they received right straight from the throne room. That’s truly a friend who loves you. They care enough to want the very best for you.
GOOD COMMENT, RENA. Jesus said that a there is a Friend that sticketh closer than a daughter, or a brother or a cousin or any relative. Jesus said that He counts among His relatives those that do the will of HIS Father. Those are His mother and His brothers. Sometimes a true friend will tell you the truth, as in your case, even to the detriment of the relationship. The sweet, wise, Godly counsel of a true friend is worth more than diamonds and if heeded brings forth the peaceable fruits of righteousness. Sometimes the true friend even lays down his/her life for the other. Jesus did! Even while we were sinners He laid down His life so that He could make a way for us to be called HIS friends and His Father’s sons.
I don’t know if I could ever be that unselfish but I thank God that Jesus calls me friend and I want that truly and desperately for my friends.
I believe that to be loved by God is like standing on a rock of real happiness and security that can never be moved no matter what storm or flood in our lives comes. He has been that rock for me through many storms and trials of life. Psalm 144:15 says “happy are the people whose God is the Lord”. And to show that we love God we must obey Him…”for this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.” I John 5:2-3. Personally for me, I am happiest when I know I am in His will and obeying Him…and that is loving Him.
This morning I was reading a devotion, and it was on love. The analogy that was given was so beautiful. It said that true love was like that of an artful artist. The artist desire is to bring forth
perfection and detail which bring forth the true character that God wants for all to see, the character that He originally created. It seems to me that true friends chip away the counterfeit and expose the Christ-like character in each one they touch, so may we all be artful artist of love, modeling after the master artist of love – Jesus Christ.
I believe that when we have many true friends our life is indeed fortified(made stronger) because true friends will tell you the truth and will be there for you even when family isnt….and true love indeed is the greatest happiness of existence…because I have found that when I give of my heart and it is recieved and returned…Oh the joy…..and It Is always true amonst true friends that love will be given in gifts talents ….and there is a return of that love…just like this website….thats love….dj
I can say that as a real friend, Dorothy shows her love through her gifts and talents. Her gift of ‘helps’ constantly shines for others to benefit from. How many times she has helped me with so many things too difficult or tedious for me to handle. And besides that I can say she is a great artist (read her bio!). I commissioned her to do a portrait from a photograph of our family’s two dogs and she did an outstanding acrylic painting that really captured their personalities because, like she said above…she gave of her heart. She has made me beautiful earrings (making jewelry and selling it is another talent!)and crocheted unique hats and scarves for me to wear. When I wear Dorothy’s things I know I wear her heart. Thanks Dorothy for heart-felt friendship.
Dorothy has shared her gifts of helps with me as well. I have a stunning picture of Teddy, my dog. I have jewelry as well. I’ve tried to get people to copy her designs because I love them so much, but her’s comes from the heart and you can’t buy her heart to sprinkle on things.
I have another friend who is heart felt and she takes a human and takes items in their wardrobe and causes everyone to whistle. She has this knack of putting clothes together on a person that makes them look like a pearl and not the oyster shell. Just look at Sara and you can tell she has style and she can recognize anyone’s style and make them glisten. Yeah we can all look good with her personal artful artistic designes for each individual. I thank you Dorothy and Sara for your heart-felt friendship and for all on the Daily Lily we have been so kind to share ideas.