Delighting In Friendship

Delighting in Friendship

Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.

Of all my children, my oldest, Elise, has the ability to believe everyone else is exactly like her. For instance, a little girl named Kara, who has Down syndrome, is one of her favorite friends to play with at church. Elise doesn’t mind the frequent hugs and touches Kara bestows, and when you see the two of them together, they are usually laughing uproariously or racing around the gym.

One day after church several years ago, one of the children’s leaders approached me to tell me that Elise doesn’t always understand the idea of compromising when she and Kara want the same coloring page. Although I promised the leader I would speak to Elise, I found myself struggling to communicate the idea to her. You see, Elise looks at others and sees commonalities, not differences. She didn’t understand the need to adapt her actions for her friend’s benefit because, in her mind, they are the same.

Elise takes to heart the Scriptures’ admonition to love others with affection, and delights in honoring Kara’s fun-loving nature. Her attitude is one that challenges me, as an adult, to do better. How many times have I fallen into the trap of thinking that someone else’s parenting style, worldview, hobby, or personality is too different from my own? What if, instead, I focused on the special, unique qualities of that person and chose to delight in them?

At the heart of it, we are all made in the image of God, precious and worthy and loved. Though I found myself inexpertly explaining things to Elise that day, I’ve realized that my children don’t need me to have all the answers. Instead, they need me to model the heart of Jesus, being filled with mercy, compassion, and an appreciation for all the things that make us unique and beautiful.

— Kristin

— Today’s Act of Friendship —

Think of someone you’ve considered too different from you to be a close friend. Make a list of five traits that are special about them, then find a way to honor and celebrate those unique qualities.