You've heard the line about how when we were in kindergarten we would approach another child and say, "Hey I'm ______. Will you be my friend?" Most often that other person would accept you with open arms. Well, I question why we don't still do that. Is it because of my sinful nature that I'm more afraid to go up to someone and introduce myself and then be their friend? The sin being fearing man and not God. Why must another person always introduce me? I truly believe it is because of the fear of what that other person might think. Here's another good question, why is it so much easier to have a friend on facebook? I think it is because we don't have to worry about keeping in touch as much. We can write on their wall and all will be well. I love facebook, I can't lie, but what if it does keep me from real contact, maybe I should work on that. My rant is over, but I have a story that makes me sad.

I do not like high school. The pettiness of so many students bothers me. The lack of depth in each conversation discourages me. In elementary school I didn't think that way. I played tag and I watched cartoons with my friends and that was just fine. In middle school I didn't think that way. I played sports and watched sitcoms with my friends. I was involved in sports and student council, all the office staff knew me because I would just go down there to hang out. Then in seventh grade I was given a friend it was the best feeling ever. She was funny and did silly things with me. I was at the top of my game. But, at the beginning of each year I felt so alone because my friend and I would go through rocky patches. Now, as I look back I understand that the Holy Spirit was calling me to Himself, but I wasn't running to Him for friendship. Their was an emptiness. When I finally hit high school I was not excited. I had loved knowing everyone, and being involved in everything in middle school. Now I was going to be the little guy and no one would know me. I knew that middle school was the best three years of my life so how could high school measure up. I was right. High school didn't compare to middle school. In 9th grade I played tennis and I was the starting point guard for the 10th grade basketball team, I was on student council, and my older sister and I became great friends. But, finally I heard the Lord calling me and I began to run to Him. Suddenly all of the stuff that I had loved seemed pretty worthless. Still at the beginning of 9th, 10th, and 11th grade I felt an empty friendship. This time not from the Lord, but from friends. I wouldn't be invited to things because my friend was not assertive enough to say, "hey, let's call Greta." By the time I hit 11th grade I was headed down a different path from my friend. I was so confused because in middle school I couldn't stand being apart from her, but then, all of a sudden, being with her was work. This friend who I was working so hard to love was not giving any effort back and in fact was hurting me. I couldn't be myself around her and that was difficult. I continued to share a locker and walk with her in the hallways because I didn't have anyone else and she needed me to walk with her. At the end of the year I signed her yearbook and she signed mine. I haven't talked to her in a many weeks. I don't want to because of all the pain that relationship caused.

My point is, to be a good friend you have to work at it. And the effort doesn't come on facebook it comes when you give them a call and tell them you're listening. Then you pray for them. Don't think that if you facebook them they will feel totally loved. They will feel totally loved when you get on your knees and pray with them. Give some effort. That love is Christ's love. He died for our sins. Now he is interceding for believers at the Father's right hand. He is praying for us. What an awesome friend! Be like Christ, be a good friend.

Verse 3 of Psalm 24 says, "Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place?" I don't know if I have this quite right, but Jesus stands in the holy place and ascends the hill for us because He loves us. Whoa!

Christ heals from painful relationships. He fills that hole better then anyone else.

Working to love like Christ,
Greta