Philosophy of Friendship
What is a friend?
Someone with whom you have similar interests?
A person you can be yourself with?
Somebody who will tell you the truth, even if it hurts?
I think those are all characteristics of a real friend.
A friend knows who you are, especially when you're at your worst, and still wants to be with you.
A friend is willing to drop everything and help you when you need it.
A friend won't take any nonsense towards you.
A friend won't let you hurt yourself.
A friend is someone you know will take you seriously when necessary, and will help you to laugh when you need joy.
A friend is not uncomfortable when you cry.
A friend has a realistic view of who you are; is patient with your weakness, and exhults in your strengths.
A friend will let you know when you do things that annoy them.
A friend is someone you may not have gotten along with at first, but with whom you learned how to communicate well, and are closer to for the initial dislike.
A friend is someone you can comfortably talk about embarrassing things with.
A friend cares enough about you to help you be a better person.
A friend is someone you can either talk to for hours or be silent with happily for hours. ( that's a really close friend)
A friend apologizes when they have hurt you.
A friend will give up something they want for your sake, without complaining.
A friend is not always perfect with you.
A friend may really really get on your nerves.
A friend doesn't want to leave you, and plans for the next time you can be together.
A friend is a sidekick and a disciplinarian.
A friend doesn't necessarily know all about you, but they know you.
A friend likes to share awesome things with you.
A friend is thoughtful about the things they give you.
A friend will not leave you when life is stressful and confusing; they'll only come closer.
A friend is someone you haven't seen in months, but with whom you can talk with like you were together yesterday.
A friend might fight with you, but they will always want to make up quickly.
A friend doesn't bother you unnecessarily.
A friend is someone who loves you when you are cranky and sick and ugly and stupid.
A friend is someone who loves you even when no one else does.
Do you have a friend like that? Are you a friend like that?
Wow. I'm not sure I am a friend like that. I have some of the best friends any girl could ask for, and I take them for granted most of the time. Especially Jesus.
He is all of those things and so much more, and I treat Him like... I don't know what, but it's not the way He treats me. I'm a bad friend to Jesus.
I doubt that He's sincere.
I doubt that He is as good as He seems
I question His unconditional love.
But every time I'm really lonely or stressed out He taps me on the shoulder and asks, "Raquel, can you be quiet for a second and listen to Me?"
I sigh and pause, knowing what He's going to say. He says it every single time, but I'm still trying to wrap my mind around it.
"I love you with everlasting love, and with everlasting kindness I am drawing you to Myself."
What? Why?
Why me?
Why you?
Why anybody?
We are all bad at this friendship with Jesus, but it doesn't make any difference to Him in the way He thinks about us. He's a good Friend, the Best I can have.
I hope once you think through what friendship actually entails, that you'll notice how Jesus fits the slot for best friend perfectly. It's not this abstract "I'm-best-friends-with-Jesus!" (Because I want to sound more attractive to other Christians. Because He and I are part of an exclusive two-person-only friendship. Because that's my excuse for not admitting that I'm lonely. Because I'm copying what another person I admire said) sort of idea.
It's a real friendship, because Jesus is real to you.
Every day I want to believe and live in the reality of Jesus and His love for me.
Someone with whom you have similar interests?
A person you can be yourself with?
Somebody who will tell you the truth, even if it hurts?
I think those are all characteristics of a real friend.
A friend knows who you are, especially when you're at your worst, and still wants to be with you.
A friend is willing to drop everything and help you when you need it.
A friend won't take any nonsense towards you.
A friend won't let you hurt yourself.
A friend is someone you know will take you seriously when necessary, and will help you to laugh when you need joy.
A friend is not uncomfortable when you cry.
A friend has a realistic view of who you are; is patient with your weakness, and exhults in your strengths.
A friend will let you know when you do things that annoy them.
A friend is someone you may not have gotten along with at first, but with whom you learned how to communicate well, and are closer to for the initial dislike.
A friend is someone you can comfortably talk about embarrassing things with.
A friend cares enough about you to help you be a better person.
A friend is someone you can either talk to for hours or be silent with happily for hours. ( that's a really close friend)
A friend apologizes when they have hurt you.
A friend will give up something they want for your sake, without complaining.
A friend is not always perfect with you.
A friend may really really get on your nerves.
A friend doesn't want to leave you, and plans for the next time you can be together.
A friend is a sidekick and a disciplinarian.
A friend doesn't necessarily know all about you, but they know you.
A friend likes to share awesome things with you.
A friend is thoughtful about the things they give you.
A friend will not leave you when life is stressful and confusing; they'll only come closer.
A friend is someone you haven't seen in months, but with whom you can talk with like you were together yesterday.
A friend might fight with you, but they will always want to make up quickly.
A friend doesn't bother you unnecessarily.
A friend is someone who loves you when you are cranky and sick and ugly and stupid.
A friend is someone who loves you even when no one else does.
Do you have a friend like that? Are you a friend like that?
Wow. I'm not sure I am a friend like that. I have some of the best friends any girl could ask for, and I take them for granted most of the time. Especially Jesus.
He is all of those things and so much more, and I treat Him like... I don't know what, but it's not the way He treats me. I'm a bad friend to Jesus.
I doubt that He's sincere.
I doubt that He is as good as He seems
I question His unconditional love.
But every time I'm really lonely or stressed out He taps me on the shoulder and asks, "Raquel, can you be quiet for a second and listen to Me?"
I sigh and pause, knowing what He's going to say. He says it every single time, but I'm still trying to wrap my mind around it.
"I love you with everlasting love, and with everlasting kindness I am drawing you to Myself."
What? Why?
Why me?
Why you?
Why anybody?
We are all bad at this friendship with Jesus, but it doesn't make any difference to Him in the way He thinks about us. He's a good Friend, the Best I can have.
I hope once you think through what friendship actually entails, that you'll notice how Jesus fits the slot for best friend perfectly. It's not this abstract "I'm-best-friends-with-Jesus!" (Because I want to sound more attractive to other Christians. Because He and I are part of an exclusive two-person-only friendship. Because that's my excuse for not admitting that I'm lonely. Because I'm copying what another person I admire said) sort of idea.
It's a real friendship, because Jesus is real to you.
Every day I want to believe and live in the reality of Jesus and His love for me.
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