Meet you halfway
If you’re lucky in life, you’ll find a friend or two that just “gets you,” where you don’t have to build a platform to be understood. Where a 3-word text is enough to discern the heart. I’ve rung one of these up, saying, “I know how you’re doing, tell me, how am I?” Funny, huh? I feel fortunate to have several guys in my orbit who feel this way, a few who span decades; they remind me of who I am, and I don’t take that lightly.
Randy lives in Indianapolis and we’d been texting back and forth recently. Since face-to-face is always better than text, we split the distance for a couple of hours in Greensburg, IN, where we warmed the relationship over a plate of chips and salsa. It’s never enough time when we talk and laugh, catching up on family, ministry, and dreams.
Ironically, traveling to our meetup, I received another text. This was from a disgruntled man who presumed to know me better than he truly did. It broadcasted a disappointed, frustrated tone stemming from a simple misunderstanding, which made it hard to read. His lengthy text took veiled jabs at my character that didn’t resonate at all, and the swipe stung a little. Dang, I thought, That’s a bit harsh. Offence often lashes out, and that’s what it felt like, so I held it at arm’s length. The enemy loves to try and insert himself whenever he senses the kingdom advancing, trying to steal our joy and derail us.
I decided to respond later, not wanting to dampen my spirits while with my good friend.
During our conversation, I mentioned the text, recounting certain stinging phrases, and we both had a good laugh, seeing the ridiculousness of it all. It was like standing in front of a mirror and being given an accurate depiction of who I really was. When we’d finished the chips and the clock ran out, I felt reset, just like I had so many other times. I was reintroduced to myself, somehow, and what God made me for, all through the kindness of one I trust. It was nice.
I put the key in the ignition a better man that afternoon. Before driving back home, I decided to draft a response to that troubling text with a freshened perspective. The words came easily, they were grace-filled and true. They left my fingers in peace, and without a second thought, I cued up a favorite podcast and headed for home.
I pulled into my garage in the early evening to find that Jen had found a box of music CDs in the basement. She placed them on the table, saying, “Look what I found downstairs, I thought you’d like to listen to them again.” As I thumbed through them, I recognized that these had been the soundtrack of a wonderful and powerful season in our lives some 20 years ago. I couldn’t wait to listen, dusting off an old CD player.
Song after song returned me to heartfelt times where God met us, where He introduced us to amazing friends, where He brought us through incredible situations. Those old familiar choruses greeted me like a best friend, and I sang along with all my might, unashamed, not holding anything back. They’ve mostly been forgotten in our contemporary scene, but the tears and touch of that moment is still real. I felt renewed all over again.
How grateful I am for friends that meet halfway, for history that speaks the truth, for melodies that remind us of beautiful things so easily forgotten.
As I lay on my bed that night, mindful of the gifts of perspective I had received, I felt the Lord say, I came the whole way for you, Rus. I didn’t ask you to meet me halfway. Wow, what a thought! A burst of revelation struck my heart. In all ways, and in everything the Lord has covered the distance with me. Another old song came to life in my ears:
“He came from heaven to earth to show the way, from the earth to the cross my debt to pay, from the cross to the grave, from the grave to the sky, Lord I lift your name on high.”
He’s been covering the distance every day; He does nothing halfway.
It had been a wonderful day and now a wonderful thought with which to fall asleep.
But He wasn’t finished there. My phone alerted me to a new text. Proverbs 15:1 says, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” I’m so glad I followed that rule and went the distance with my frustrated friend. He’d thought better of his words and wanted to smooth out any bumps. Ah, a relationship preserved.
There is a friend that sticks closer than a brother (Prov 18:24) and, better yet, He comes the whole way every day.
What kind of friend are you?