A better answer to an unusual question
Hey gang! It's Saturday and I don't have to go to work. I did absolutely nothing but rest, read, and watch a little television. I hung out with the dog. I made some chicken for dinner because the immigrant has the four to midnight shift at the Wally world. She always has dinner for me, so I returned the favor.
I soaked my ankle a few times yesterday. Stupid ankle surgery. When it's going to rain, I surely know it these days. I looked in the mirror and realized I'm severely overdue for a haircut. Don't you just love days like this? I know I do.
So, I was looking at the old blog today while I was just hanging out. I noticed a comment someone made over a week ago that I didn't answer, until today.
The person asked a question I found a little odd, but one worth answering better than I did and I think I know how.
I read a story about two brothers who were invited to a night out with some mutual friends. They knew there would be drinking and talking about the "old days". Both brothers declined the invitation; one because he feared what God would think; the other because he loved God and didn't want to participate in anything that might displease Him.
It's a good analogy to answer the question the reader posed. The person asked if a person can change so much that even old friends become, I believe the word used was "obsolete?"
My friends mean a lot to me. If you look at my Facebook page, you'll see a group of us standing at the nose of a jet in Cyprus from 2002. The cutout of a little boy is "Flat Stanley". The things we do for family. My friends will never, ever be obsolete to me. If you have friends like I do, those friendships last a lifetime. You may not see each other every day, but when you do, it's always a good thing.
I have good friends. They're good men. They have families, they serve their country. I admire and respect my friends. What changed, though, was me.
Do we stop being friends because I found Christ? I hope not. Can I do some of the things I used to, like drop the F-bomb every other word, or laugh at typical guy jokes? No, I don't do those things anymore, but I'm not to judge my friends because they like to have a good time. Do they want to hear me preaching the Good News to them? I don't know. If they ask, I share. If they read the blog, they get a healthy dose of that. What I'm trying to do is show my friends how good things are even in the midst of the things that are happening in my life. I'm really happy. I have been for almost three days and don't know why. I'm sure I'll find out, though. But (there's always a but, isn't there?) I'm not who I was and I really don't want to be.
I'm OK with that.
But just because I found Christ, I think the question inferred that was throwing decades old friendships away. I'm by no means doing that. My friends need help? They should call me first. I'll be there and probably with donuts and coffee. You need someone to talk to, call me. You need a prayer? Absolutely, please let me know and I'll ask our whole congregation at church to pray for you! Prayer works, by the way!
That's friendship. If though, my friends were going to the bar for the night, I'd probably pass. That doesn't make them obsolete as the question suggested. It doesn't make me obsolete either. I think my friends would find I'm a better friend today than I ever have been. I listen more, talk less, and really, when I ask how you are, I do care about how you are. I'm so not about me anymore.
So, yes, you can change that much. I didn't do it by myself, though. I couldn't fix the things that were broken with me. Only God could and by his grace, He did. I didn't deserve His grace but He gave it to me anyway and that thought alone humbles me daily.
One more thing, this is what I want for my friends: I want them to have what I have! No, not the problems, the troubles, the trials. I wouldn't wish these on anyone but I've been so grateful for them because I needed to change. I've learned and welcomed each as an opportunity. I want my friends to have the Joy I have, the love I have for my neighbor, the love I have for God and Christ. I can't even find words to tell you all how happy I've been for no particular reason the last few days.
I hope that puts things in perspective.
I soaked my ankle a few times yesterday. Stupid ankle surgery. When it's going to rain, I surely know it these days. I looked in the mirror and realized I'm severely overdue for a haircut. Don't you just love days like this? I know I do.
So, I was looking at the old blog today while I was just hanging out. I noticed a comment someone made over a week ago that I didn't answer, until today.
The person asked a question I found a little odd, but one worth answering better than I did and I think I know how.
I read a story about two brothers who were invited to a night out with some mutual friends. They knew there would be drinking and talking about the "old days". Both brothers declined the invitation; one because he feared what God would think; the other because he loved God and didn't want to participate in anything that might displease Him.
It's a good analogy to answer the question the reader posed. The person asked if a person can change so much that even old friends become, I believe the word used was "obsolete?"
My friends mean a lot to me. If you look at my Facebook page, you'll see a group of us standing at the nose of a jet in Cyprus from 2002. The cutout of a little boy is "Flat Stanley". The things we do for family. My friends will never, ever be obsolete to me. If you have friends like I do, those friendships last a lifetime. You may not see each other every day, but when you do, it's always a good thing.
I have good friends. They're good men. They have families, they serve their country. I admire and respect my friends. What changed, though, was me.
Do we stop being friends because I found Christ? I hope not. Can I do some of the things I used to, like drop the F-bomb every other word, or laugh at typical guy jokes? No, I don't do those things anymore, but I'm not to judge my friends because they like to have a good time. Do they want to hear me preaching the Good News to them? I don't know. If they ask, I share. If they read the blog, they get a healthy dose of that. What I'm trying to do is show my friends how good things are even in the midst of the things that are happening in my life. I'm really happy. I have been for almost three days and don't know why. I'm sure I'll find out, though. But (there's always a but, isn't there?) I'm not who I was and I really don't want to be.
I'm OK with that.
But just because I found Christ, I think the question inferred that was throwing decades old friendships away. I'm by no means doing that. My friends need help? They should call me first. I'll be there and probably with donuts and coffee. You need someone to talk to, call me. You need a prayer? Absolutely, please let me know and I'll ask our whole congregation at church to pray for you! Prayer works, by the way!
That's friendship. If though, my friends were going to the bar for the night, I'd probably pass. That doesn't make them obsolete as the question suggested. It doesn't make me obsolete either. I think my friends would find I'm a better friend today than I ever have been. I listen more, talk less, and really, when I ask how you are, I do care about how you are. I'm so not about me anymore.
So, yes, you can change that much. I didn't do it by myself, though. I couldn't fix the things that were broken with me. Only God could and by his grace, He did. I didn't deserve His grace but He gave it to me anyway and that thought alone humbles me daily.
One more thing, this is what I want for my friends: I want them to have what I have! No, not the problems, the troubles, the trials. I wouldn't wish these on anyone but I've been so grateful for them because I needed to change. I've learned and welcomed each as an opportunity. I want my friends to have the Joy I have, the love I have for my neighbor, the love I have for God and Christ. I can't even find words to tell you all how happy I've been for no particular reason the last few days.
I hope that puts things in perspective.
Comments
Post a Comment