My Joy -- A Treasure in an Earthen Vessel

I am at the moment sitting at my computer listening to something in the other room that fills my heart with delight.  There, Joy is sitting in her wheelchair with the speakerphone by her side.  On the phone are two of her friends who have called to chat with her.  That in itself would be a great delight to me.

It would delight me because her friends know that Joy is incapable of carrying her end of the conversation.  Nevertheless, they continue to chat with each other including her in the conversation and speaking directly to her from time to time.  Such self-sacrificing love always inspires and delights me.

But this conversation delights me on a much deeper level.  The two friends with whom she is chatting have been her friends for more than 30 years.  The three of them raised their small children together in the same neighborhood.  Over the years two of the three have moved away from the neighborhood.  One moved only a few miles.  Joy has moved to the opposite end of the country.  Nevertheless, week after week, month after month, year after year, at 10 o'clock each Wednesday morning, the three get together again for a chat on the telephone.  Sometimes, they discuss the current affairs in the news of the day.  Often, they discuss some aspect of the Kingdom of God.  But, always, they talk about the little things that are going on in each of their lives.  Here are three sisters in the Lord who have faithfully maintained a close friendship for more than 30 years.

It has not mattered to the other two that Joy's ability to participate in the conversations started to produce more distractions and interruptions than responses.  Nor has it changed their decisions when Joy has become incapable of actually contributing to the conversation.  She can only listen.  Nor has it slowed them down as they've come to realize that even in her listening she does not have full comprehension of what they are saying.  Still, week after week: they call; they chat; they pour out love.

Neither of her friends would describe what they are doing as "self-sacrificing."  They simply think of themselves as continuing to love a good friend.  They love her like she is.  Of course, they would rejoice if she was empowered to participate in the conversations like she once did.  But they love her like she is not like they wish her to be.  They love her without criticism or judgment.  They love her without demands that it be convenient.  They simply love her as the friend she has always been.  (My soul gets a little mushy and emotional when I think about such love.)

In our society we have found great emphasis on being people of action.  We have also learned to be people who keep up appearances.  But we have found very little emphasis on being steadfast.  A steadiness of character which once was honored and admired has now become passé.  But consider for a moment, what a treasure it is to have friends who have known you for more than 30 years.  These are friends whom you do not need to explain yourself to; you do not need to give a history and background; you can simply talk and know they will understand.  Pause for a moment.  And consider further, how much greater the treasure friends who are also brothers/sisters in the Lord able to bring you revelation and wisdom and insight.

Perhaps we all should think again about how valuable it is to be steadfast friends.

His, thus Yours,

Stuart