“No longer do I give you the name of servants; because a servant is without knowledge of what his master is doing: I give you the name of friends, because I have given you knowledge of all the things which my Father has said to me.” John 15:15
Victoria Harbor, Hong Kong
In September of 2006 I asked God what exactly he meant by calling me his ‘”friend” (John 15). I understood my relationship to him in terms of “Savior”, “Redeemer”, “Master”, “Lord”; but “Friend”? That had me baffled.
How does a friend of God act? What does a friend of God do - especially when this “friend” is Lord, Creator, Supervisor of the Universe?
After a lot of pondering it was like God and I had the following conversation:
“Picture your friend Kim.”
Pictured.
“When you are with her and you notice she needs something, do you ask her if you can meetthat need or do you just meet it?”
“I just meet it.”
“Do the same with me, you notice a need and you meet it”
“Oh, ok. I can do that.”
“Picture your friend Kim again”
Pictured.
“She calls you and asks if you can help her with something, a ‘if you can’ type thing.
What do you do?”
“Well, I see if I can meet her need.”
“Do the same with me. If I ask something of you, see what you can do to meet it.”
“Oh, ok.”
After pondering some more I think “Whoa Jesus. This sounds just like service. How is being your friend different from being your servant?”
Threshing through the scripture again I discovered the difference. Friends have access to all the knowledge God has given Jesus. Servants just do, friends know why. Now, the “why” may not be immediately known – but as Jesus’friends, we can ask.
I decided I could do the friend thing: “Ok God, it’s cool. I can do the friend thing.”
Then came a flood of questions:
“Hey God, just, how do I notice your needs? Let me rephrase, I mean the ones I am supposed to meet? Ya know, needs are everywhere! And I am a bit overwhelmed, I can’t look out my window without noticing a guy standing at the bus stop in the rain needing an umbrella, the lady needing a 50 pound bag of dog food taken to her condo, the guy whose car never starts on the first try…the list goes on and on and on. Which ones do you want me to meet?”
“The ones you are able to.”
“Ok. Um, I don’t have an umbrella - that is out. I have a cranky ankle today and can’t carry much weight for a distance - that is out. I have NO mechanical expertise at all - that is out. Ok Lord, I have just disqualified myself from all the needs I just noticed. Um, now what?”
“Pray for them.”
“Ok. I can pray for each of them. Praying, yep, praying I can do. What do I pray for them? Do I ask for their needs to be met? That you will be known to them? That they will have a good day? That you will bless them?”
“Yep.”
“I can do that!”
I think it boils down to this…meet the needs you can and pray for the rest. That is what being a friend to Jesus all is about.
I think I can do that, can you?
Updates:
Travel – We have a team in India finishing their first venture week – read about what they are up to: http://repurposing.biz/fall-india-venture/. Linda is in Indonesia while Brett, Lyn and I are in Seoul, South Korea teaching Transforming Society, Repurposing Business, Repurposing Capital, Convergence and a bit on LEMON Leadership – we are here until the 20th.
Work – Fun and crazy! See above… and several of us head to the Call2All conference in LA the week after Thanksgiving.
Personal – My camera is wonky! I am not sure what happened – took a few snaps at a lovely ancient palace and then a lavender/grey/golden leaf-like design appeared across the screen and it is now unresponsive. Sigh. I really would like God to fix it so I can take pictures while I am in Seoul!!!
Requests:
Travel – Save travel for me, Brett / Lyn, Linda and the Chennai team.
Work – For continued forum bookings, book sales, and for our upcoming January training’s roster to fill; also for new cars.
Personal – my camera to be healed, and for my jet lag to be fully, finally abolished (80% there!).
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