Friendship

When you work with people you develop it; or not. The Worship and Arts group at Perimeter has it:friendship. In fact the other day we were saying we should no longer use the term "volunteer." That is a good word for helping at a 5k run, or answering phones at a telethon or many other good noble activities. It does not capture what is happening in Worship and Arts and the Academy of Arts. So we think we should call those who come and serve with us friends.

After the last 30 hours I am thinking I have uncovered the reason why we are moving our language. We who serve as a vocation are friends. We have spent time recently praying together for our friends and working together to create a helpful environment. We have spent time pastoring those who hurt and we have spent time teaching and equipping our friends. We have learned much from our friends and have been blessed to see God work among them. We have loved much and been loved much.

We have spent time discussing, debating, sharing, learning to listen, communicating, re-communicating, explaining, talking, and wrestling with how God would want us to care more for our friends.

We have had hard talks that have led to sweet understandings and to no understanding. We do not have many answers. We are not even sure how to phrase some questions. We hope, we persevere, we grieve and we laugh all at the same time. We friends. And we work, to bring the best worship possible to Our Best Friend.

Tonight I am reminded that we are friends because He calls us friends. He has all the answers and we may get some of them, but no mind, we are friends on His road, walking together. Sometimes one of us is a little ahead of the others, sometimes behind. Sometimes one of us kicks a stone, or walks on the opposite side of the street for a while, or falls in the ditch. Someone always goes over and picks me up, or waits for him or says to her, "Slow down, we want to walk with you."

The sweetest thing is that we keep on walking together. Legs sore sometimes, rain, sun, potholes. Sometimes skipping, sometimes limping, always with Our Friend as our guide. We follow Him:together, we friends.