Monday, August 15, 2011

Friendship is synonymous with love ..is there any other way

"Friends have lived for each other, friends have died for each other, friends have endured far more, even death for each other. Friends have given up home, and kindred and property, hope of gain and even good name, at the call of friendship. And whenever there is friendship today there is readiness to do, and to endure and to yield to the uttermost "(friendship by clay trumball).

I am always surprised by the many times people want friendship outside of the sacrifice of love or love outside of friendship. As if the two can somehow find wholeness apart from the other and in fact apart from one another they become more of a service or a duty. And perhaps it's wise to define love:   the expression of friendship that has no claim, return, does not expect or even receive honor in any form because of its delivery.

I am guilty.... of the many times I expressed the sacrifice of love out of duty not friendship...Great servant I was.. I did not see my motive but it clearly was not pure. I believe that we, as the church, must revisit this matter of friendship and love before we move into the duty of our daily Christianity.

Divine friendship: "not that we loved God but that he loved us" this unexpected love is what he calls GRACE. We learn by this that it is not based in our loving Him but on our being loved by Him. Being a friend doesn't necessarily require two people but one with the attitude to be-friend another.

Much to consider ....in the journey