Where's the Love?

How important is friendship to you?

I don't know if you have every spent any time around drunk people. There are some mean drunks out there to be sure, but there are also some really loving drunks. Have you ever had the experience of an intoxicated fellow leaning on your shoulder and breathing out through his stench of breath the words of his undying love? "I love you man...no i really do!" On the opposite side have you ever walked into a church lobby and gotten nothing more than an evil eye and wondered if you were dressed correctly or if you had toilet paper stuck to your shoe? Why is it the most intoxicated are sometimes more loving than the most righteous?

I wonder sometimes if we are so concerned with the theology of the issue and finding the right answer to describe the difficult situation with which we are faced we forget the person in the middle of the situation. In Job 17, Job is asking God to put up the security for him in court because he friends don't seem to have any support for him. Even though Job has just said repeatedly, God is causing this suffering to him. He still finds more support from his "attacker" than from his friends. He even goes so far as to say those who betray their friends leave a legacy of abuse for their children (the message).

What kind of legacy are we leaving for our children? What kind of example do we set if we the righteous church folk great people with looks of judgment, when we great each other with these looks. And it goes both ways, I don't find myself judging the less than appropriate who walk through the doors of the church, but I sure do find myself judging those who are judging them. Its like saying I'm racist against racists.

I would much rather have my daughter see me greeting people with, "I love you man...I really do!" My hope would be I wouldn't have to be drunk in order to do that.

May we offer friendship rather than analysis and condemnation, may we build one another up in love. And may our children see our love and do likewise as our legacy.