Pooh and Piglet. Harry, Ron and Hermione. Thelma and Louise. Woody and Buzz. Friendship is what brings two people together and gives them someone to confide in, someone to laugh with and a shoulder to cry on. I believe that the best earthly friendships are those rooted in God and His love for us. He is the ultimate BFF and confidant, and it is only natural that we would take after His teachings to be better friends on Earth. In honor of National Friendship Day on August 7, here are seven ways to be a better friend according to the Bible.

1. Hold each other accountable.

"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion." Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

This one isn't always easy. It isn't always simple to tell your friend that what they are doing is wrong, but it is what a good friend does. When one friend gets involved with a questionable person, starts acting differently, going out more, or letting their grades go, loving words from a friend can go a long way. It isn't just about calling your friend out to prove a point. It is about walking alongside your friend as they regain themselves. To be a better friend we must not let little things slide by; we must step up and hold each other accountable, pushing each other toward Christ.

2. Build each other up.

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." Thessalonians 5:11

Being a better friend means supporting each other through all of life's stages. It is easy to become jealous or angry when our friends find a significant other, job, or other friends that take away their time, but it is the job of a good friend to support them. There is nothing better than knowing that your best friend is cheering you on while you chase your dreams.

3. Forgive each other.

"Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." Colossians 3:13

Forgiveness is by far the most difficult part of becoming a better friend. Nobody wants to forgive someone who hurt them, especially when it is someone who they thought never would. However, forgiving a friend frees up your heart and mind. God forgave us, teaching us how to forgive others when we are hurt by a friend.

4. Stand by each other through thick and thin.

"So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great." Job 2:13

Life isn't always easy. It is messy, sad and sometimes it feels like it is too much to handle. When friends are feeling this way, it is our job as their friend to step up and stand by them. If they need a shoulder to cry on, that's us. If they need to feast on junk food, we're there. Within reasonable measures, we do what it takes to stand by our friends. The best friends know when to just sit in silence, praying for their friend and for the pain to be taken away. Just as Christ has never left our side, we should stand by our friends, unwavering when things get tough.

5. Pray for your each other.

"Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." James 5:1

One of the most important things we can do for our friends (and really for the world for that matter) is to pray for them. First, we can confess to one another and pray for each other. But when you know someone better than you know yourself, you know when they are hurting, when they have messed up and when they are overwhelmed. There is very little we can do as humans for a friend when they feel this way, but Christ can take any hurt and make something of it. Our job as a good friend is to turn over the hurt to Christ to heal.

6. Sacrifice for each other.

"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends." John 15:12-13.

I pray that you are never in a situation where you have to sacrifice your life for your friends like Christ sacrificed for us. But sacrifice doesn't always look like taking a bullet, shielding from an explosion or jumping in front of a car. Sometimes sacrifice is staying in on the weekend because your best friend is sick. Sacrifice can be staying up late to study with a friend before a big exam. Sacrificing for friends is difficult and sometimes annoying, but your friends will notice and will thank you one day.

7. Love unconditionally.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

Being a better friend isn't always easy. Sometimes, you fight and don't see eye to eye. But having a best friend who loves you and understands you is the most beautiful thing in the world. Knowing that someone loves me unconditionally, just like God loves us, is enough to make me want to sing. I don't deserve the love that my friends give me, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.