Friend

Did you read the touching story of profound friendship this week?  Apparently in upstate New York one man showed bravery and the other loyalty.

24-year-old friend, "A,"  told 25-year-old friend, "B," that he wanted  to know what it felt like to get shot.  So friend "A" talked friend "B" into shooting him in the leg with a .22-caliber rifle.  It took a lot of convincing, but friend "B" gave in - what are friends for?

It takes a lot of guts to ask someone to shoot you.  He's the brave one.  Unless you're a solider who has been shot by an enemy rifle that had a bullet the size of friend "A's" fist; Unless you've faced pain out of duty more than twisted curiosity;  Unless you define bravery as more than talking someone into doing something stupid to you.

Friend "B" is the loyal one.  He's the one sitting in a jail cell for reckless endangerment because he let his buddy convince him to pull the trigger.  That's loyalty.  Unless you know what it's like have a broken relationship because you refused to do the wrong thing;  Unless you're a person who puts wisdom and principle ahead of a friend's call to help them self-destruct;  Unless you define loyalty as wanting the best for someone you care about.

For the record, in the stories I've read and heard no one has given the label brave or loyal to either "A" or "B."  In fact the attitude is mocking disbelief.  But why?

Isn't that what kindness and non-judgmental attitudes lead us to?  It's wrong to say anything is wrong.  Unless you're the one that says nothing's wrong and someone disagrees with you - then that person is wrong about anything being wrong (it's the old argument that there are absolutely no absolutes).  When desire trumps common sense and selfishness is bigger than morality the rules have to be ignored or changed. 

To my friends:  I won't shoot you so you know what it feels like.  I won't stab you in the eye with a fork because you want to wear a pirate's patch.  I won't tell you you sing like an angel and should be on American Idol because… you shouldn't.  I won't walk with you off a cliff so you don't have to fall alone.

To my friends:  I won't remain silent if you're letting sin ruin your life.  I won't help you ignore God.  I won't tell it's not your fault if it is and I won't pretend with you that this life is more important then the next one.

I will do my best, empowered by God, to be a friend that points you to Christ, shows you what following Him looks like, and speaks the truth in love.  I risk everything on the truth, even our friendship.  That's bravery and loyalty.  We all need friends like that.  

Friend,

Pastor Dave