Tapestries of Friendship
Take a couple of minutes to soak in this statement from Henri Nouwen:
No two friends are the same. Each has his or her own gift for us. When we expect one friend to have all we need, we will always be hypercritical, never completely happy with what he or she does have.
One friend may offer us affection, another may stimulate our minds, another may strengthen our souls. The more able we are to receive the different gifts our friends have to give us, the more able we will be to offer our own unique but limited gifts. Thus, friendships create a beautiful tapestry of love..
I like the way Nouwen warns us against over-investing in any one friendship, but even more I love the imagery of how a community of people can form into a tapestry, with each person offering his or her own unique gifts of friendship.
I find myself reflecting on how much of that is true for me among my friends - no one person provides everything that I might need in a friendship, nor should they. Some provide great, deep discussion, some enjoy laughing with me, some give me perspective on my children and the job that I do as a parent, some share PC or video gaming experiences with me. I'm grateful for the joys of each of those unique experiences. And I find myself hoping that, in my own community, I am doing a decent job of offering my own "unique but limited gifts."
Related Tags: Henri Nouwen, friendship
No two friends are the same. Each has his or her own gift for us. When we expect one friend to have all we need, we will always be hypercritical, never completely happy with what he or she does have.
One friend may offer us affection, another may stimulate our minds, another may strengthen our souls. The more able we are to receive the different gifts our friends have to give us, the more able we will be to offer our own unique but limited gifts. Thus, friendships create a beautiful tapestry of love..
I like the way Nouwen warns us against over-investing in any one friendship, but even more I love the imagery of how a community of people can form into a tapestry, with each person offering his or her own unique gifts of friendship.
I find myself reflecting on how much of that is true for me among my friends - no one person provides everything that I might need in a friendship, nor should they. Some provide great, deep discussion, some enjoy laughing with me, some give me perspective on my children and the job that I do as a parent, some share PC or video gaming experiences with me. I'm grateful for the joys of each of those unique experiences. And I find myself hoping that, in my own community, I am doing a decent job of offering my own "unique but limited gifts."
Related Tags: Henri Nouwen, friendship
posted by Matt at Monday, May 08, 2006
2 Comments:
Matt, you are doing much more than a decent job with your friendship. You are an incredible friend, a great teacher, and a wonderful leader. I know whenever I see you that there are thoughts lurking under the surface just waiting to come out--and I want to hear them! But isn't diversity truly a gift from God. It's a gift in friendships, businesses, families, and especially in the Body of Christ. Life sure would be boring if everyone looked the same, thought the same, had the same experiences, enjoyed healthy food, were gifted in the same areas, and liked the same sports teams.
Thanks, Toby. What a great friend you are, too. You inspire me with your love for life and your willingness to go all-out for God.
Regarding liking "the same sports teams." Thats so true. SOMEBODY has to like the Yankees, the Eagles, and the Lakers. I'm so glad its not me.
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