There are those that you identify with and hold close to your heart. You may not see them as much as you like, but you know that they are special friends. Their place is as close as or even closer than a brother is. They automatically get the first bit of new information. They readily come to mind as a potential source of help when things get tough. When you smile or laugh the fun and joy that you have together often comes to mind. He or she is your good friend, your “bon ami”.
I find that those I choose to let close often have far more influence than I ever anticipated. It is as if I have chosen my values with my friends. When they are down I struggle with depression. As their spirits soar to new heights I buzz with excitement and energy. When they lose control I am often not far behind. Did I give up my mind? Was there something in the water that we drank together?
In some ways I wish I could say that things have improved with age. We have more gray hairs, the speed of our reaction time has dramatically slowed, and we weigh more. Yet there is nothing to indicate that we have moved significant distances from the place of our youth. I can hear my mother talking to me about my friends.
“You know their names – Brash, Impudent, Blasphemer – intemperate hotheads, every one.” (Proverbs 21.24)
“You know what they are doing to you, yet you continue. Have you lost your mind?”
Well, to be matter of fact, yes I have lost my mind. I lean towards things self-centric. I cannot seem to stop. I choose my friends that way. I play the game of life that way. I struggle in relationships that way. They are my best friends, at least yesterday.
God offers you and me something totally different. He offers friendship, relationship, and new life! It starts small and builds as we desire more. It can begin right now. It is our call.
