the question: How has a friend changed you or your perspective on the world this year? Was this change gradual, or a sudden burst?
a piece of the answer:
Friendship for me is an inescapable part of life and I wouldn't have it any other way. This year I have seen selfless friends, friends that never fail to make you smile, friends that are always just a phone call away on a long drive home friends that will stick scripture on your bathroom mirror, friends that will drive halfway across the country to be there for each other, and friends that will lovingly poke you when you get out of line. I've been inspired by them and I've been given the opportunity to be a friend to the best of my ability as well-- a friend that stays up all night and reads to you while you throw up or a friend that will go for late night rides with you and just listen. But I admit that I have also epically failed at being a friend in so many ways. Life keeps moving but we have to remember not to leave people we love behind-- a lesson I recently relearned and am trying to improve on, but that's another part of the story.
I sit a few times a week in my campus minister's office (she too has become more of a friend than anything this year) and there is often a running thread in our conversation: how lucky I am to have so many unbelievable friends. And it's true. I have unbelievable friends practically coming out of the wood works. This year I have entered into one friendship in particular that excites me to think about. The world doesn't understand true friendship and I can't explain it either. I think I best summed up my feelings about this a few months ago when I wrote in a post: "Our friendship looks a lot like our lunches-- you bring the pasta and I'll bring the sauce. Both of us are a far cry from perfect but I believe God uses us to encourage one another on a regular basis." Becoming such good friends with him has changed my perspective on life in a lot of ways because we are two wholly different people-- I'm an enthusiastic optimist and he's quick to tell you he's a realist, a mixture that surprisingly balances out. Everybody needs encouragement, but every needs to be brought back to reality sometimes.
Change is a gradual thing. I don't work actively to change my friends, but God sure does use them to do a work in my heart. I tossed some harsh truth at this same friend last week knowing he could handle it, and the Lord spoke to me that night as I was feeling guilty about how out of character it was for me. He told me that in this particular relationship, that wasn't my job. All my job is is to love. There are other people for bitter words of truth, my job is simply to love, especially in the midst of difficulty. The Lord has taught me innumerable lessons through various people this year, and I hold that one close to my heart. I say all of that to remind you of this: friends are a picture of the way God loves us, a tangible outpouring of who He is. Love them, learn from them.
This whole story is just one of many examples of a friendship that has blessed and influenced my life and I picked it out of the multitude of stories in my mind because it is so fresh and prominent. However, I wouldn't dream of writing a blog about friendship without saying this: This summer I saw what biblical friendship was designed to be. I lived, worked, and served every single day at ridiculous hours with ridiculous expectations alongside 32 of the most diverse, craziest strangers I have ever met in my entire life. It's a blessing from the Lord that a team could conquer what we conquered and do it without having any conflict whatsoever. They have become a picture of friendship for me and I cannot thank them enough for what a blessing they were to my life for those three months and what a blessing many of them continue to be. I'll love you always, CK1 2010...
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