“God doesn’t want you to be afraid of people, but to be wise
and strong, and to love their company." ~ 2 Timothy 1:7
Jolene didn’t have many
friends. She’d never been preoccupied
with being popular, but she did long for someone to share secrets and laughs
with, someone who would listen carefully even when she had nothing to say out
loud.
She wore her hair long to hide her face and avoided eye
contact with others, fearing someone might talk to her. Always a bit frightened by her surroundings,
Jolene kept mostly to herself.
Kids didn’t talk to her either. Some even made fun of her in whispers behind
her back. Hers were largely superficial
relationships; she couldn’t remember ever having a real friend in high school.
In her English Comp class, the students were asked to share
a little about themselves and describe their goal for the class. Most students talked about getting good
grades and a better future. All the
answers were equally boring, thought Jolene.
When it was her turn, she took a deep breath, raised her eyes before
opening her mouth to speak. But nothing
came out. Her throat felt like drier
than normal; her heartbeat quickened.
“If there’s a God in heaven,” she pleaded to herself,
“please give me strength. Help me form
words that speak from my soul!” Then she
spoke.
“My goal,” she began, “is to make one good friend this
year!”
The room went deadly silent. One student came forward and extended her
hand. “Hi, my name’s Enya,” she said. “I’d love to earn your friendship.” Silence became more eloquent than words as
all eyes focused on Jolene and the hand extended directly in front of her.
Jolene smiled warmly and stretched her hand toward Enya’s,
igniting a friendship that lasted beyond college and all through her life. It was a memorable day, one she treasured deeply.
For it was on that day she learned two
important lessons: 1) the power of prayer and 2) the importance of asking for
what she wanted, being honest and taking action.
It’s clear that we all need companionship. Status doesn’t matter: young, old, single,
married, male, female, retired, working – friendship nurtures the human
spirit. For Christians, asking God for a
friend is a good first step in the process of finding one. God’s love for us makes us bold and provides
the faith to displace our bashfulness.
Dear God, even though my life is filled with
clutter and activity, my heart aches for the intimacy of a true friend, one who
knows the real me and loves me anyway. Calm my fears and help me to be more
open and honest about my needs and pain.
Amen
