Most of us are blessed to have lots of people that we call our friends, right? Some of these friendships are based on shared situations (work, maybe), shared interests (rec league softball), shared faith (church), shared location (neighbors), or some combination of the former. Some friends have shared our childhood, our college years, or our beginnings in parenting. Some we know for just a few weeks; some know us when we lose our first tooth, and know us still when we lose our hair!
But how many of these people do you identify as your authentic friends?
This week on ESPN College Gameday, there was a story about two Oregon State football coaches. One coach’s wife had battled a kidney disorder for most of her life that recently all but shut her kidneys down. She needed a transplant, and she had exhausted her opportunities in searching for a donor. That’s when the fellow Oregon State coach gave her his kidney!
Authentic friendship.
I tend to believe that I would do a lot of things for a lot of people, and there are a lot of people who would do a lot of things for me. But, there is a smaller list of people who I would do absolutely anything for; only a few people in my life who I feel I could ask absolutely anything of without fearing that I might offend them, inconvenience them, or even surprise them. I trust that those same friends see the reciprocity in our relationships, as well.
My authentic friends? Here’s a short compilation: of course, my amazing wife is first on my list, and I could put Dave, Stoner, and Rob up there, as well. I also wouldn’t hesitate to add my LifeGroup; they have become incredible friends, even in the short time we have known each other.
Who are the people in your life who you feel are your authentic friends? Which friendships energize you, comfort you, encourage you, elevate you, challenge you, or sacrifice for you? Who would you do absolutely anything for?
These are good thoughts, heartwarming… I definitely have a few friends on that list, but most I have only known a few years.