Skip to main content

Friendship

Friendship is a curious thing.  There are friendships that whither and some that grow.  There are friendships that survive distance and others that don't.  There are some friends you may talk to once a year and feel as if you just spoke with them yesterday, but there are others that you run into and feel at a loss for words with.  There are some friends you call to rejoice with and cry with.  There are friends you know you can call at any time of day if there's an emergency, but others that you might hesitate to call or lean on.  


When you find friends who you can trust, you've found a treasure.


When you find a friend who when you talk to them and haven't spoken in a year and it feels as if you're picking up where you left off, then you've found a treasure.


When you find a friend who needs you and you need, you've found a treasure.


When you find a friend who listens and doesn't just hear you, then you've found a treasure.


When you find a friend who will listen even when they're mind is preoccupied, you've found a treasure.


When you find a friend who will check on you when you haven't spoken in a while, you've found a treasure.


When you find a friend who you can be yourself with, what a treasure you've found.


This was a week of spending time with friends for us as we neared the end of our school year.  One particular friend was one who I'd never been to her home before.  It was such a blessing to hear the story of her home and see how it reflected her family.  She told me this wonderful story of how her family searched for a magnetic refrigerator, because a refrigerator without pictures just isn't home.  I don't think I'll ever forget this story.  I was struck by the joy of spending time with this friend who wanted to spend time with me.  Whenever I realize this or have a similar thought, I am often brought to tears by the realization.  I enjoyed her company and was blessed by all that she shared with me--her home and her heart.  


Then, today while shopping, I ran into a friend I hadn't seen in a year.  What a blessing it was to see her!  She heard my voice and found me!  She has one of those gentle, giving hearts that always cheers me when I get to catch up with her.  There is also something about her that always feels so familiar in such a comforting way.


What I am often struck by is that friendship requires two people that want to be friends.  I would daresay that they even need each other's friendship.  Friendship is a dear gift from the Lord.



Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 (ESV)


 9Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! 11Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? 12And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Grieved

Why is it that my generation (I belong to Gen X) and generations after us always seem to think that they know more than the generations that have come before us? Why is there such a lack of respect in our generation for our elders? Why do we think that the liturgy of the church and hymns are irrelevant? It is ironic to me that the emergent movement is saying that the seeker sensitive movement is irrelevant. It seems as if it was only a few years ago when it was the seeker sensitive movement that said to the traditional church that it (the traditional church) was irrelevant. I'm reading a book with all of these big words and I want to be honest--I didn't understand a lot of it. I'm not dumb. I understood most of it, but the author was assuming a lot of background knowledge on the part of the reader. Most of the time I learn deep theological concepts and then I have to store them in my "attic" (as Autumn would say) because there isn't enough room in the ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Missing Pieces

The other day I was discussing a book with my mom and explaining to her my concern about how "blame" is cast upon the child in the story.  My mom commented about how deeply I read and consider what is written. Sometimes I wonder if I go overboard.  Am I questioning too much?  Am I overreacting? Why am I reacting this way? I come back to knowing that God wired me this way.  But, I also reflect on how God has guided my path through the maze of books I've read over the past few years and what I've learned from the books themselves and from reading them.   Recently, I read a book that troubled me.  The book I finished reading was  Guiltless Living  by Ginger Hubbard.  When I began reading it, I found myself puzzled and then disconcerted. And in the end, I cried. But, I cried for a different reason than one might suspect. I'd like to explain. I did not read Ms. Hubbard's previous book “ Don't Make Me Count to Three ”, but I knew from f...
Post a Comment
Read more

ESV, NIV, or NASB and then there's the ICB, ESV or NIrV...which should we read?

I am so thankful for my friend's question about the ESV vs. NASB and NIV. I couldn't remember the difference so I went to look it up. I knew that John Piper and Tim Keller, both pastors and authors that I deeply respect have switched over to the ESV. All of the churches that we have attended over the past few years PCA or Reformed Baptist have also switched to the ESV. I did find a blog that explained the differences and that helped me ( http://thefoolishgalatian.wordpress.com/2007/10/22/niv-vs-esv-and-why-piper-switched/ ) I knew why I didn't like the KJV--it was written in the days when writers were paid by a patron and that often slanted the translation. The NKJV, from what I understand, is a revision of the KJV that uses more modern language. Most churches I have attended used the NIV until the ESV came out. The blog I found explained that the ESV is a more literal translation---like the NASB. The NASB is a very literal translation. The ESV has come to be consid...
Post a Comment
Read more