I think I could argue with anyone and win in a heartbeat that I have the world's best friends. Sure, everyone says it. But there's no way everyone can mean it the way I do. Seriously. I am one lucky girl. And I say this because I think about the people who instantly come to mind when I'm reaching for my phone. The cool thing is it's always a different person depending on what I'm seeking. I have a different person that I can go to if I'm needing advice, if I need to be calmed down, if I need a few bucks (shoutout to daddy), if I need a good laugh, or if I need someone to encourage me. What it boils down to is that I have "my people"and I use it to my advantage. If I have learned anything from the past 22 years, its that you can't do life alone. Maybe you can, but I sure as heck can't. All of my friendships were seen in a different light when I read this:
"I want you to invest yourself wholly and deeply in friendship, God's greatest evidence of himself here on earth."
I see God in my friends and that's where I see him the most. God shows me love, compassion, generosity, and gentleness, and he does so through the people who share their time with me. And because of this, I am constantly challenged. I'm challenged to learn more from those I surround myself with, to understand them so that I can understand Him a little more. I think that we are all here to be a community with one another in order to be each others glue. We are what hold each others world together and it is up to us to keep each others world spinning when it may have stopped for someone. Or sometimes when it seems like our world is spinning out of control, we have each other to slow it down a bit, or to even pause it for a second so we can catch our breath.
As I am starting this whole new season of my life and starting over somewhere new, I am being reminded that everyone has the opportunity to to teach us something and maybe that something will turn into a connection, a spark of a new friendship. And not only do they give us the opportunity to be a friend in return, but we are given the opportunity to commune with Jesus. We are walking on sacred and holy ground every where we are. Everyone we walk up to can show us the love of Christ and because of that, we meet each other on holy ground. Doesn't it seem like some days just can't get any better? That nothing could ruin it. I can't think of a perfect day that does not include a conversation or interaction with someone I love, and usually it involves a whole group of people, not just one. That's because that simple sentence that says God's greatest evidence of himself on earth is through our relationships speaks truth beyond measure. Those perfect days are glimpses of Heaven on earth. And even the not so perfect days, the one's we could do without, are the days that we can return the favor and help someone else experience a little Heaven on earth. We are dining with the King when we are sitting around the table with the ones we love. How does it get any better than that? I am the first to forget this on a day to day basis and I go on with my life never even thinking about it. But if there is one thing I want to be challenged to do, it's to remember that relationships are the most important thing we have on this side of Heaven. I need my people. I need people to laugh and cry with. We always hear the cliche line of "God is always with you, you are never alone." And most of the time when we hear that, it isn't necessarily what we want to hear. Of course deep down, I'm not alone. But sometimes I just want someone to join me in a pity party so that I'm not on that sad dance floor alone. And that's where friends come in. When our people and community are with us, God is with us.
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