Long before you could “FRIEND” someone on Facebook, we’d “Friend” someone by giving them one of these…
I get the feeling sometimes that Facebook has cheapen the word “FRIEND.” With one press of a button, you and I can be “FRIENDS.” And maintaining that “FRIEND-ship” is simple: “LIKE” the occasional pic of what you’re “FRIEND” ate for dinner last night or the silly cat video they posted and they just might not “un-FRIEND” you. Add a witty comment of that pic you just “LIKED” and your “FRIEND-ship” is blooming into something special.
Please don’t get me wrong, I’m not knocking Facebook. Where else can you be nosey and go through all the pics on your friend’s Facebook page. And once that’s done you can also go through all their friend’s pics…Actually, the more I think about it, Facebook FRIEND-ship sounds a lot like stalking.
Back in the 90’s, friendship took more work. We’d learn this skill where we’d get different colored threads and tie them in these fancy knots, a lot like macrame, and we’d create these special bracelets of friendship. It was our way of saying: My friendship with you means so much to me that I gave up my afternoon to create this work of jewelry art just for you, Friend! And the more friends you had, the more bracelets you’d wear, sort of like the Mr T of Macrame.
Shouldn’t FRIEND-ship cost us something? What good is a “LIKE,” really? If I post on Facebook that I’m moving this weekend, what benefit does it add to my weekend that a FRIEND “LIKES” that post? A “LIKE” has never moved a box.
On that final evening with His disciples, before the cross, Jesus has a talk about true friendship. He describes the measure and quality of His love for them and gives them a pattern for the way they should love each other. He said: Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13
We come with our “LIKES” and our macrame bracelets and Jesus shows us up with “lay down your life.” Way to make us feel bad, Jesus.
In this life, there’s a lot of “cheap friendship” and a lot of acquaintances. What our soul lacks is real, friendship. Perhaps you’ll never be in the position where a friend will need to lay his/her life down for you (Apart from everyone’s need for a Savior. Jesus has you covered there.), but you will have days where you’ll need someone to lay down their time, drop everything drive out to where you’re at, to just be there for comfort. Do you have a drop-everything-for-you kind of friend? You’ll have days when what you really need is someone willing to lay the friendship all on the line in order to confront you and call you on your wrong direction. Do you have a willing-to-confront-you kind of friend? You’ll have days when everyone else will walk away and no one will be willing to claim to even know you. Do you have a stand-by-your-side-through-it-all kind of friend? More importantly, are you that kind of friend? Often times we don’t get what we don’t give. Real love, real friendship is costly.
I get the feeling sometimes that Facebook has cheapen the word “FRIEND.” With one press of a button, you and I can be “FRIENDS.” And maintaining that “FRIEND-ship” is simple: “LIKE” the occasional pic of what you’re “FRIEND” ate for dinner last night or the silly cat video they posted and they just might not “un-FRIEND” you. Add a witty comment of that pic you just “LIKED” and your “FRIEND-ship” is blooming into something special.
Please don’t get me wrong, I’m not knocking Facebook. Where else can you be nosey and go through all the pics on your friend’s Facebook page. And once that’s done you can also go through all their friend’s pics…Actually, the more I think about it, Facebook FRIEND-ship sounds a lot like stalking.
Back in the 90’s, friendship took more work. We’d learn this skill where we’d get different colored threads and tie them in these fancy knots, a lot like macrame, and we’d create these special bracelets of friendship. It was our way of saying: My friendship with you means so much to me that I gave up my afternoon to create this work of jewelry art just for you, Friend! And the more friends you had, the more bracelets you’d wear, sort of like the Mr T of Macrame.
Shouldn’t FRIEND-ship cost us something? What good is a “LIKE,” really? If I post on Facebook that I’m moving this weekend, what benefit does it add to my weekend that a FRIEND “LIKES” that post? A “LIKE” has never moved a box.
On that final evening with His disciples, before the cross, Jesus has a talk about true friendship. He describes the measure and quality of His love for them and gives them a pattern for the way they should love each other. He said: Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13
We come with our “LIKES” and our macrame bracelets and Jesus shows us up with “lay down your life.” Way to make us feel bad, Jesus.
In this life, there’s a lot of “cheap friendship” and a lot of acquaintances. What our soul lacks is real, friendship. Perhaps you’ll never be in the position where a friend will need to lay his/her life down for you (Apart from everyone’s need for a Savior. Jesus has you covered there.), but you will have days where you’ll need someone to lay down their time, drop everything drive out to where you’re at, to just be there for comfort. Do you have a drop-everything-for-you kind of friend? You’ll have days when what you really need is someone willing to lay the friendship all on the line in order to confront you and call you on your wrong direction. Do you have a willing-to-confront-you kind of friend? You’ll have days when everyone else will walk away and no one will be willing to claim to even know you. Do you have a stand-by-your-side-through-it-all kind of friend? More importantly, are you that kind of friend? Often times we don’t get what we don’t give. Real love, real friendship is costly.
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