My thoughts this week has been heavily weighted toward friends. There are so many rich examples of friendship in the Word. It makes me wonder what defines a friendship? Is it time? Is it distance? Is it circumstance? Is it meant to be? Is it magic or some mixture off all? Who is a friend?
I have thousands of people designated as friends in facebook. Is that possible? I have a few specific people in facebook, I consider my friend even though I have never met them face to face. I think they became my friend when I relationally opened my heart and shared an intimate piece of who I am and what makes me who I am. I suppose I trusted that person with a piece of my heart.
Maybe the sharing is what makes a friendship real, more than anything else. Some friends, I can readily agree with. We are of like mind. Others, there is little we agree on. Both can become my friend as we share life together.
The thing I am baffled about in friendship is how little value we place on friendship. It must be a value thing although it could just be stupidity to not value friendship. I am always so surprised when I consider someone a friend and then circumstance changes and all communication ends. I wonder, did I just lose a friend or did I never have a friend. This bothers me as I had been living life as if the person was a friend. What a waste of time and energy...
As I consider the issue of friendship, I'd like to know who is my true friend and who is not. I'd like to know who will be there when times are good and when times are bad. I wish there were an easy test I could email and qualify friendship. There isn't; so the mystery of friendship continues....
There are people I know beyond a shadow of doubt, they are my friends. Looking at them, I see an incredibly mismatched eclectic group of people. I love them dearly. My bride is my best friend, she has proven faithful through the test of time and circumstance. Much of my family are friends. Then, there are a couple of friends who nicknamed me, Sparky. Their friendship has stayed firm.
I have others who I consider friends and I hope will be lifelong. Time will tell.....
My best friend is Jesus.
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