If you haven't visited Aaron Boeke's blog, go there now. Okay, so you know where that is. That's good. Now whenever you see "The Quarter Life" in my blog title you should read my blog and then go to his blog, or vice versa, because we have started a new series on life in our 20s and a lot of what that entails. Our first topic is Friendship and Community.
I have a community of friends that are as unwavering as anything God can give me, except salvation and forgiveness in Jesus Christ. We all have received a Gift greater than one another, and that Gift is continually bringing us closer.
Not too long ago I thought of these friendships as simply that, friendships. I was sold on the fragility of friendships throughout my life, but an odd thing happened when I left for university in Laramie, Wyoming, we became closer. While I was growing deeper and stronger with friends in my hometown I witnessed college, time, and distances separate my new friends at the University of Wyoming from their hometown friends that had been split by a high school graduation.
I took a journey to find out what was keeping us that close. It didn’t take much searching to know that something greater than me, you, us, and our friendship binds us together. What started out as a curious inquiry into Christianity, or a required trip to church, has developed into the community of brothers and sisters that I still find myself underestimating. I know other families like this are hard to find because this one isn’t broken. Though we are made up of broken pieces we are made new and whole by what binds us together. We have all had opportunities to walk away, to grow apart, to pursue life alone, or to find a new community. No friends have proven to be as great. No community has proven to be as strong. No time too long. No distance too far. No struggle too agonizing.
I am still young, but I know I have found friends that will be with me the rest of my life. Just like other friendships and communities, the one I am a part of is fragile. We are susceptible to envy, anger, discontent, and the tragedy of human nature. We have weathered all, and we will weather them again. You may think I sound presumptuous about the future. How do I know we will weather the storm again? How do I know we will continue to grow stronger? Well, I can’t predict the future, but I still know someone that will be there, Jesus, the foundation of this community that feels no borders, and that knows no condition not worth the love that we have been given, and the love we all try to share.
1 comment:
I think that your analysis of a community is right on. Communities are difficult, trying, and at some points agonizing. But, they are also the avenue that God most frequently uses to both teach us and test us. Many times, especially in the past six months, I have wanted to remove myself from the community I am actively engaging with. It is easier to watch a community function than it is to participate in one. I have also realized that I am too quick to criticize and much to slow at contributing. Bryce, I love your ability to describe, in poetic detail, the intricacies of our friendships. Thank you Aaron and Bryce, I think that both of you have been blessed with the ability to put many of the thoughts in my head into tangible and ledgable sentences. I miss both of you dearely and can't wait to see you.
Post a Comment