A Review of “Made for People” by Justin Whitmel Earley

“You are made for people in such a way that you will be lonely if it is just ‘you and God'” (14). This is a shocking statement for some; it may feel to them like heresy. But God made us to be in friendships, and friendship is not optional for a spiritually healthy life. That is the heartbeat of Justin Whitmel Earley’s profound work on the subject. Combining both theological work and practical strategy, Made for People is the definitive work on friendship from a Christian perspective.

I had never heard of Earley before picking up this book. He is a full-time business lawyer in Richmond, Virginia. He is also an insightful theologian in his own write and his written several award-winning books for Christian living. This is just an example of how profound his thoughts are, and what he describes in terms of the theological grounding and practical outworking of Biblical friendship is truly amazing. Earley writes as a friend on the why and how of good friendships.

The book has 10 chapters, each focusing on a different aspect of friendship. In each chapter he doesn’t just give us a list of strategies, though he does aim to provide practical help. Rather, he grounds his understanding of each element of friendship in Scripture and theology, showing us why it matters and how it shapes friendships. He then walks through practical ways to live this out, giving us beautiful stories and examples to illustrate his point. The chapters cover things such as vulnerability, honesty, and forgiveness. Those are concepts we would expect. He also focuses on the importance of friendship as a covenant – a concept we do not often think about as it relates to friends. This chapter in particular serves as an important corrective to American tendencies to make friendship casual, fleeting, and disposable. He also addresses other uncommon but foundational concepts related to friendship: geography, time, communication, memory, and worship.

Earley’s own experiences of friendships shape much of what he writes about in the book. These experiences give beauty and passion to his words about the topic and provide solid encouragement for those of us longing for such meaningful connections. While much of what he says will feel so obvious after you read it, his contribution to the friendship conversation truly is profound and insightful. I cannot commend this book highly enough.

For those wanting to know why friendships matter, or wanting to know how to build better friendships, or for those merely wanting some encouragement in their current friendships this book is the one to read. I’ve not read any other book quite like Made for People. I am certain it will be a blessing and help to many.