lesson learned #4

When you grow up, you start as a child (son or daughter) and you pass through the processes of discipline and structure to build character and integrity helping ready you to be an adult. It is your parent’s responsibility to teach you the right paths and help you gain wisdom from your experiences. There are many times you change hats throughout childhood and adolescence, in which you could be called “son/daughter”, “pupil”, and “servant.” But there is a great day that takes place, and it’s not always recognized by our parents or even by ourselves, but there is a threshold we cross over into “friendship.”

Now we find ourselves in new territory where our parent is now a friend, a peer. Though we will always (or should always) respect and honor, and at times still obey, our parents, it’s this great new adventure of relationship that we embark on which challenges us. How to become friends with our parents??

But what I’ve learned over this year is not so much about earthly parents, but the Heavenly Parent. The progression of maturity in our walk with God is not so that we can remain servants without a voice and only good enough to serve, nor is it only for us to have a familial tie that passes an inheritance on and little else. No, God’s desire in maturing us in our relationship with him is so that we can be his friends.

I’m reminded of two passages of scripture. In the first, Abraham is called the “friend of God.” What a unique and awesome title. It is not to be lightly looked upon, but recognized that this is a high honor. To be known as the friend of a head of state or king, is not a laughing matter, for a friend is one who is given preference and favor. And to be known as God’s friend must be the highest of all favors.

The second passage is when Jesus gathers his disciples before the end of his earthly ministry and says to them, “I no longer call you servants, but friends.” What joy they had to feel. In that day, rabbis would take on students and “disciple” them, but they would always be known as the “disciple of…” In this sweeping statement, Jesus is not just making them feel good and telling them how much he loves them (though he is doing that), he is also telling them they are peers. He is not looking down on them, but raising them to his side.

God loves us so much that he desires to take us from being mere children or mere servants, to friends. And like the fulfillment that we find in our friendship with our earthly parents, which can only take place as we mature and listen to them and grow from their wisdom, so to we will find a fulfillment in the friendship found in growing through the discipleship of Jesus.

Lesson learned: God wants me to be his friend.