A pipe dream?

“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another,  ‘What!  You too?  I thought I was the only one.” – C. S. Lewis

i love this quote.

it’s been my experience that most people struggle at developing deep and meaningful friendships.    everybody’s got their own set of expectations…both for what they are anticipating from others,  as well as what they will personally invest.   and when those expectations threaten to be unmet,  the chances of friendship are pretty much shut down.

that’s why i love this quote.

we would be so much better off if we would stop judging others…evaluating others…reacting to others…seeing the differences in others…qualifying and limiting the possibilities of friendship with others…and simply took the advice and wisdom of mr. lewis.

there is so much we share in common with virtually everyone.   we are screw-ups.   we are afraid and self-conscious.    we are broken and need help.   we sin.   a lot.   we struggle with doubt and faith and walking with god.   we desperately want to be affirmed and accepted.

even though we come off just the opposite,  we don’t know everything.   we battle pride.   we have huge integrity issues and wrestle with the inconsistencies between our private and public personnas.   we fear rejection and humiliation.   we’ve experienced hurt and loneliness.   we get angry at god.

we want to succeed.   we want to do well.   we want to be loved.   we crave forgiveness and belonging.   we want to do something meaningful with our lives.   we want to find peace for our restless hearts.   we want to overcome our past and live in the redeemed present.

this is true for every one of us.

so why do we have so much trouble recognizing the shared journey  in others…and laying aside whatever petty walls are built…and open ourselves up to friendship?   with all who cross our paths?

how cool would it be if we could stop being controlled by our differences and be drawn together by our similarities?

life could be so much richer.   kingdom work could be so much more fruitful.    the church would be so much more attractive.

#friendship