On Friendship

By far, people are, my favorite subject to write about, ponder on, be intrigued by. The anatomy of the human body doesn't even scratch the surface if you wanted to 'start somewhere' in your pondering's.

Where do you start then? For me it is always the eyes. The eyes can say a lot about a person. Some bloody genius once said..(and I don't recall who, or if I've ever known..if you do know, PLEASE comment and tell me!!) that the eyes are like the windows into one's soul. I think it's true. I start with the eyes, and then perhaps I will smile at the person and watch them to see if they smile back, always looking into their eyes.

Next, I'd move on to their personality. I take extra notes on their characteristics. I don't mean the shallow 'like and dislike' routine. That will come in time, though. I mean I look for their strengths and weaknesses, their sin struggles, and those things that they possess with ease, in which perhaps I don't. Or vice versa. Or maybe we both struggle with the same thing. Personality-wise I make note if they are shy or outgoing, quiet or talkative, funny or serious, witty or slow, smart or above and beyond *mind blowing*, modest or cocky, mature or immature, possessing leadership skills or a follower, etc. You get the point.

The best for last is to ponder up on the soul. You know you are friends at last, when you are able to openly expose the great suffering, endless toiling, open wounds, sore bruises, un-dealt with pain, brokenness that your soul has *or is* going through. When you begin to exchange dreams, goals, triumphs against evil, explicit joy you've experienced, the sweet scent of peace God has given you, satisfyingly delicious rest in Christ, with one another. You know you share a friendship when your friend needs to be loved more then ever, and you can give them that love. But, to do so makes you feel like you're going to fall apart, like you're shattering into tiny pieces. YET you show them the love of Christ, ANYWAYS.

Only then can you know, that you're friendship is indeed, a friendship. To rejoice with the other's soul, to wear a sackcloth with your friend's soul, to open and expose each other's weaknesses is friendship in it's second highest form. Second highest form, because the highest form of friendship given, shown, and demonstrated to us, is when God came down in the form as a man, and died for an unloving, ungrateful, unfaithful group of people.

He exposed Himself to us all, and promised us new life. He exposes us everyday, everyday ripping out the weeds that are growing in our soul, everyday making us more and more like Him. He never forgets about us, though the afids come, though the weeds never stop growing, though the droughts come, though the thorns grow and form around our soul! He comes, each morning, waters us, shines down on us, and clears away all the weeds, all thorns, all nasty little bugs that promise nothing but mischief to His garden *people*.

That my friends, is friendship. It is Christ searching our souls, always reminding us: I came to take away your sin Lissie, not your pain. And that is exactly what I'm going to do. You are not alone. Remember I never promised you a life free of pain, but I promised you an eternal life to come. With this promise, you can risk having to endure suffering, you can risk friendships destroyed, you can risk not going out and doing whatever you darn well please, you can risk your loved ones hurting you, you can risk having people that don't live up to YOUR expectations, you can risk crushed dreams, you can risk being completely and utterly powerless, you can risk rejection, you CAN risk NOT BEING LOVED by people, You can risk enduring unbearable pain, You can risk it all for Me.

If God didn't exist we WOULD NOT be able to risk these things because THIS would be it. You want an example?

Pretend that this line is life: STARTS______________________________THE END.

That's it. End of story. If that's "all" life is, then yes the world has it right, go out and do whatever brings you pleasure.

But since the world is WRONG, you can risk it all my friends. No matter what, you have the greatest friendship that ever existed, Christ's. Follow HIS example, knowing eternal life is promised. Knowing that you are accepted in God's eyes! Knowing that if nobody loves you it doesn't matter, you will be broken yes, but satisfied by the love Christ has to give you.

(If you haven't listened to Derek Webb's song "Nobody love's me, um you should. My family LOVES Derek Webb, Sandra McCraken, and all the Indelible Grace albums, and Caedmon's call albums!)


~Elisabeth Darcy