Friendship is so interesting to me. How it is formed, how it is maintained, how it grows. I am intrigued by it because I don't understand it, and don't think I ever will. How does friendship happen? It seems as if you can just be going along your merry way and then one day you wake up and find yourself good friends with someone you never even suspected. I know it has happened to me. It is delightful when it does.
The whole process of moving from acquaintances, to casual friends, to good friends, to best friends, to family interests me. You meet some people and quickly decide to be friends. You meet others and friendship just seems to happen. Some friends you only talk about one thing with. Some friends you can talk about anything. Some friends are great for a good time, but they aren't who go to in the bad. Some friends you live with but aren't really that close to, other friends live far away and you couldn't be closer. Some friends move away and your friendship just isn't the same. Some friends your relationship is thicker than blood.
People always talk as if "best friend" is the highest category of friendship, but I don't think that it is. Some people talk like friends that are considered "family" are the highest category of friends, but I don't think that true either. I have had many best friends and I have had many people I consider my brothers and sisters, but I think there is one form of friendship even deeper. Soul Friends.
No I don't mean we eat ribs and Popeyes chicken together. I mean friends whose relationship isn't just like the blood of family but whose heart's are bound to one another. Like David and Jonathan.
Now it came about when he had finished speaking to Saul, that (A)the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and (B)Jonathan loved him as himself.
~1 Samuel 18:1
They are once in a life time friends. And as they say in Little Rascals, "You find a once in a life time friend, ONCE in a lifetime."
It is a wonderful thing to find such a friend. Complete transparency, mutual love, and kindred souls centered on Christ make for a relationship where you push each other, hold each other, grow each other, and sacrifice for each other.
Have you found your Jonathan?
~J.L. Smith
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