“These were the nights we felt alive. These were the tears I knew you’d cry. Here’s to goodbye, cause tomorrow’s gonna come too soon.” – Eve 6
That song echoed through my head as I walked off the football field of my high school graduation. It was a class song that I helped get selected. I loved that song. Even now as I stream it on spotify a flood of nostalgia runs through my bones. I remember faces and people and places. Friends that I had that in that moment I knew I would care for forever… Now sitting here almost 13 years later… if I’m honest I know that aside from the occasional Facebook stalking I’m not close to many of those same friends.
Every place I’ve been in my life from high school, to college, my first job, my marriage, and my most recent move that has me states away from family – has left me with a different set of friends. Most of my friends have centered from my place of worship. Most of them have shared common beliefs with me regarding religion, politics, music, hobbies, etc. Even so not all of these friendships have lasted. There wasn’t much depth to sustain them.
Yet when I look back at the list of friends there are a few that stand out. There are few that no matter the distance, time away, or likes/dislikes – that I still hold as true friends. These are friends that know my crap. Friends that have seen me at my best and my worst. Friends that I can call at a moments notice to talk through a struggle or decision, because they offer wise council and know me deeply.
[Tweet “Here’s to future Christ-centered relationships. @jonathanholmes @bravereviews @cruciformpress”]
We all desire friends like that. We all want to belong. We all want community. We want people that we can be real with. We’re created this way. God created humankind to not only be in relationship with Him but also to be in relationship with each other.
In his book The Company We Keep, author and pastor Jonathan Holmes unpacks what this type of biblical friendship looks like. He asks great questions to help the reader evaluate current relationships as well as set up future ones for success. He looks at the types of things that stress and threaten biblical friendship and talks about safeguards we can put in place to make sure we’re on the right track.
Here’s to future relationships in which we’re able to come alive in Christ and cry tears of freedom and restoration. Here’s to relationships where tomorrow coming soon is a good thing because we know that our friends will be faithful and with us every step of the way.
