Friend #1: Hey! How are you?
Friend #2: I am good! How are you? Hold on one second. *walks away to her coffee
Friend #1: *waits for friend #2 to return
Friend #2: Got my coffee, sorry, where were we?
Friend #1: You asked me how I was.
Friend #2: That’s right! How are you? * starts checking her Facebook account
Friend #1: I’m okay, I just went through a rough patch and I’m beginning to question some things.
Friend #2: Haha, sorry have you seen this video on Facebook? So funny! This kid is freaking people out by jumping in this hole!
Suddenly the two friends are sitting in silence. Friend #2 looks up and sees Friend #1 is on another page than she is. Friend #2 then realizes that she hadn’t been listening to her friend since her arrival.
Have you ever experienced this? The reason I am writing about this is simply because I, unfortunately, do it all the time. I don’t mean to. However, just the other day, I was speaking with a friend and I kept checking my phone. In all honesty, I don’t even know what I was checking for! I think I wanted to show her something- obviously if I can’t remember, it wasn’t that important. Thankfully this friend was not in a rough situation, but my attention should have been on her and what she had to say. Other times, I walk into the room and spout out whatever I currently have on my mind and quickly realize that I completely interrupted a conversation two people were having. I think having phones that can do and connect to pretty much everything in a spilt second and having unlimited information accessible can make it hard to slow down and listen!
People are NOT like technology! You cannot get unlimited information from them, unless they willingly give it to you. You cannot demand them to tell you how they are doing. You cannot demand to know what they are thinking. Even if you ask, they still have the right to tell you or not to tell you. Every person has their own personality. Every person has their own story. Every person has their own pain and their own victories. Every person has the choice to share their precious and unique thoughts and life with you. Each person has unique gifts and talents and I am ashamed that sometimes I rush in and try to “catch up” in a matter of 30 minutes! Similar to how I access information on the internet.
I began to notice this problem when I was trying to spend time with God. God says in John 15:15, “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”
I am God’s friend. I can tell you right now, I’m not a very good one. When I was in the middle of my prayer, I stopped got up and got coffee! Then I ended up talking with someone else, then I went back and prayed some more, then I checked Facebook, then prayed, then realized my ride would be showing up any minute and I needed to get ready. Friendships take time.
James 2:23 says, “And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend.”
Genesis 18:17-21 says:
“Then the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?
Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on
earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct
his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing
what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he
has promised him.”
Then the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and
their sin so grievous that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad
as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.”
God trusted Abraham with the information about Sodom and Gomorrah. I want to be the kind of friend that listens and that God trusts enough to reveal his plans.
A good friend is able to be confided in. I am very grateful to have had a few friends like this. I once had a situation in my own life that I did not feel the liberty with most people. However, God was my support through it and even sent a select few who were able to listen and offer wisdom and encouragement. God has been nothing but a compassionate, kind, loving and trusting friend. I want to be more like that. I want to make sure I remove all the distractions so that I can be the best kind of friend to Him.
“The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.”
Psalm 25:14
