A Tribute To My Friend

A Tribute To My Friend One of the kindest souls to ever grace this earth, passed away today -- while mowing his yard. This is a tribute to my friend.... thanks to him.... I can say I knew a true gentle giant. He was one of those incredibly rare individuals whose heart could not be contained by his fragile shell of a body. His infectious smile and calming touch.... impacted everyone and everyone who had the privilege to spend a few minutes in his humble quiet presence. Have you ever noticed that there is a rare occurrence that only happens a couple times in your lifetime -- you meet a kindred spirit -- a true friend. And the depths of character in this friend, demands nothing from you. A friend who only asks for the honor of your company for a few minutes. Months or years will go by without having any contact with this friend -- but when you do -- the quality of the friendship transcends time -- and it is as if..... time stood still and you simply pick up where you left off. What is odd about a friend of this quality is -- you would do anything in the world for this friend.... but of course, a friend of this quality would never ask. At a very young age, my friend was diagnosed with a terminal disease. He explained it to me but it became so complicated that I could never keep it all straight. What I do know is, the good Lord build a very special body to house the soul of this friend of mine. It had to be special because it would have to endure over 50 years of health issues that would crush a typical person. But not my friend, no matter the pain, no matter the most recent health setback..... he had a ready smile and a calm voice that assured whoever he met that God was still on His Throne and in control. I will miss his handshake. His handshake was an experience that always left me somewhere between humble and calmed.... all at the same time. His hand was so massive that it would wrap around my hand and I would feel assured he would never intentionally harm me. The next sensation I would experience when I shook his hand was relief..... relief that he was a gentle giant because a hand of that strength could crush mine without effort. Finally his handshake reassured me that he was in total control of his strength. It would never cross his mind to hurt someone. That my friends, is a rare and precious gift in this cynical world we live in. My friend lived with the assurance that the good Lord would walk him through the very worst this ol world has to offer. And as his body was wracked with pain.... his love and confidence in his Heavenly Father only grew through each experience. It was my honor to know you and be your friend. My only regret is that I didn't take the time to express this to you when I had the opportunity. So my friend, for now, as I face my next tomorrow..... you exist in the Heavenly realm.... where the good Lord has given you an eternal body -- finally free from the diseases and suffering this world offered..... and your heart is experiencing perfect peace, contentment and all the love that your Heavenly Father can bestow. See you soon my friend.... see you soon..... "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" Philippians 4:7

Thoughts on True Friends....

Today I had the pleasure of spending the day with a friend. Granted we had a lot of work to do and much of it was under a great deal of pressure. But standing by the side of a friend while facing a daunting task, is an honor.

So in the midst of our goat rodeo, I paused to ask myself, "What do I bring to the friendship?" God tapped me on the shoulder and reminded me of the long refining process He has brought me through, and that He continues to transform me into a person that gives Him delight. My education, life experience and personality allows me to work with people under very difficult circumstances. My friend can benefit from this.

Then I pondered, "What does my friend bring to the friendship?" Again God nudged me and offered some insight. My friend expects me to be honest. He doesn't require me to filter or screen my speech. If he disagrees, he knows that I respect his intellect and life experience enough to listen without offense. My friend comes from a very different belief system, which affords him a fresh perspective on difficult decisions. I have tremendous respect and appreciation for these attributes.

"As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another"
Proverbs 27:17

This is a very familiar verse that talks about the affects of true friendship.

The "Shane Moffitt Paraphrase" of this verse is, "You can tell a true friend because the truth is spoken" (Ephesians 4:15, "speak the truth in love").

Truth without love is cruel.
Love without truth is compromise.

This is how you can tell the difference between a friend and an acquaintance.

An acquaintance doesn't care enough about you to confront issues on your life. An acquaintance will simply tell you what you want to hear. (Hebrews 4:12 "Whom the Lord loves, He disciplines).

Be aware, there is the chance, that when "iron meets iron" that the counsel will be rejected and the friendship will take a beating. In matters of the heart, you must accept that the heart is where God works. Trust that God will take the seeds of counsel you have offered and will nurture them into something healthy.

There is an interesting skill required here. You must only sharpen, as much as your friend is able to handle. Often in life, if you unload too much wonderful advice, your friend will crumble under the load. Sometimes you have to ration out your sharpening. And sometimes the most potent counsel is the example you live.

The secret to this, is keeping the correct perspective. Your perspective must be that you desire to move your friend to a healthier place. This means, that the whole sharpening process is not about you, it is about your friend. This is not about you voicing your opinion. This is not about you laying down the law. That will have a repelling affect and your counsel will be ignored.

My final observation on this is from James 1:5, "If you lack wisdom, ask God...". Before you offer counsel to a friend, take a moment and ask God to guide your words.