What is a friend?
I will confess, I'm no the best person to answer that question. I've spent large portions of my life feeling like I haven't had close friends.
That statement will no doubt disturb several people who consider themselves to be my friend, and for that I apologize. I do treasure those friendships.
You are among my cherished friends because you fit into my personal definition of a friend. You're someone I've gotten to know quite well, someone with whom I can share our deepest thoughts, hopes, and concerns.
But in my 61 years, those kind of friends have been few and far between.
I'm absolutely certain that says more about me that it does about anyone else. A combination of nature and nurture molded me into an introvert. An unhealthy dose of bullying and shunning throughout my K-12 school years trained me to be uncomfortable opening myself up to new people.
When I do make a friend, it's because I not only have something in common with them, but we become knit together in our common interests or purpose.
I've made friends at the ballpark, where I have season tickets to watch the Mizzou Baseball team each spring. I've connected there with a handful of fellow fans who, like me, are a bit on the introverted side, but who, like me, enjoy yelling and shouting and acting a little stupid while we watch baseball.
I call them friends, but the truth is that outside the confines of that ballpark, we have almost nothing in common. We rarely get together outside of the baseball season, only seeing each other when we happen to bump into one another at Walmart.
My closest friends are the ones like David describes in Psalm 119:63.
The Hebrew word David uses for friend carries the idea of being knit together, united with a tight bond, a common purpose. The friends who have changed my life are those who not only share my faith, but also share my commitment to following Him wherever He leads. They've been people with whom I could dive deeply into the Word together, sharpen each other with open and productive conversations - even disagreements - about the Word and the world. They've also been people who have walked alongside me in ministry, pursuing God's mission together.I will confess, I'm no the best person to answer that question. I've spent large portions of my life feeling like I haven't had close friends.
That statement will no doubt disturb several people who consider themselves to be my friend, and for that I apologize. I do treasure those friendships.
You are among my cherished friends because you fit into my personal definition of a friend. You're someone I've gotten to know quite well, someone with whom I can share our deepest thoughts, hopes, and concerns.
But in my 61 years, those kind of friends have been few and far between.
I'm absolutely certain that says more about me that it does about anyone else. A combination of nature and nurture molded me into an introvert. An unhealthy dose of bullying and shunning throughout my K-12 school years trained me to be uncomfortable opening myself up to new people.
When I do make a friend, it's because I not only have something in common with them, but we become knit together in our common interests or purpose.
I've made friends at the ballpark, where I have season tickets to watch the Mizzou Baseball team each spring. I've connected there with a handful of fellow fans who, like me, are a bit on the introverted side, but who, like me, enjoy yelling and shouting and acting a little stupid while we watch baseball.
I call them friends, but the truth is that outside the confines of that ballpark, we have almost nothing in common. We rarely get together outside of the baseball season, only seeing each other when we happen to bump into one another at Walmart.
My closest friends are the ones like David describes in Psalm 119:63.
I am a friend to all who fear you, to all who follow your precepts.
We've become knit together in our shared passion for His purposes.
When God is my portion, my friends are the ones for whom God is also enough. We don't have to come from the same background. We don't have to agree on everything. We don't even have to share a lot of common hobbies or interests. What we share is our God and His mission.
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