This is an all too familiar image. Someone requests to be your "friend". But what does it really mean? What level of friendship will actually come out if you decide to confirm this request? I think the friendship has the potential to develop into one of the following hierarchical categories:Facebook Friend:
The bottom of the barrel. Maybe you've actually met this person before, but maybe you haven't (they trick you into accepting because you have 34 mutual friends in common). You get just enough information about him via his status messages, photos, and wall posts to superficially stay in touch with him. Maybe you'll poke him every now and then just to spice things up a bit, but communication with him is very limited.
Gchat/BBM Contact:
Communication is a result of availability and convenience. You're bored at work/home. You need an opinion on what to eat for lunch, where to go to get your tires fixed, or what to do on Friday night. The other person complies because talking about the latest Groupon for kayaking is far more appealing than working on those dreaded TPS reports. Both parties derive immediate gratification, entertainment, and utility from the conversation but there is no specific intentionality.
Email Buddy:
Communication stems from genuine interest. This requires conscious premeditated effort. An idea comes into your head that says "hey, I want to catch up with this person". Life updates can be exchanged without the commitment to carving out time to meet in person.
In-Person Friend:
Communication is not enough. You want to spend time with this person because you have established at least one common interest.
Phone/Skype Best Friend:
Reserved for only your closest relationships. You have so much to say to this person that you can't resort to online or SMS methods for fear of early onset of carpel tunnel syndrome. You realize you just hung out with him yesterday and will see him tomorrow, but you can't wait until then to catch up with him, you need to talk to him NOW. In many cases you have known this person for a long time and you have reached a level of comfort that eliminates awkward silences.
So where do your friends fall into place? Are you satisfied with the current standings? Maybe you want someone to become an in-person friend, but you're stuck at gchat due to distance or time constraints. So maybe you try to realign your priorities and increase your effort. And many times this will work, but sometimes it won't simply because the other party is content with the current relationship level and has no desire to upgrade. But what if I told you there was a relationship out there where the other party was willing to go to the highest level possible and it was simply up to us to decide if we wanted that? I'm talking about a relationship with God ya'll. We have the opportunity to fall head over heals in love with God if we want to, or simply leave it on a level that's equivalent with being just 'facebook friends'. Real quick let's explore the various levels of relationship available...
Potter and clay:
You are aware that your life is molded, shaped, and sometimes broken by a higher power. Limited communication if any. (Isaiah 64:8, Jeremiah 18:1-6)
Shepherd and sheep:
You feel provided for, watched over, and cared about. Sheep are content with this feeling and either don't know or can't comprehend that there is the potential for a deeper relationship (i.e. true intimacy). (John10:11, Psalm 23:1-6)
Master and servant:
You feel committed to obey, but the relationship is mainly about receiving instructions and carrying them out. (Matthew 6:24)
Father and child:
More intimate than master/servant. You have an understanding of God's fatherly love and care, and feel "at home" with God. (Isaiah 49:15, Zephaniah 3:17)
Friends:
Companions in a shared mission. You know what's on God's heart and He knows what's on your heart. You can be yourself without feeling judged. You confide in God because you trust Him. There is maturity and intimacy. (John 15:13-15, James 2:23)
Bridegroom and bride (lovers):
Head over heals in love. Can't stop thinking about Him. Always looking for ways to demonstrate your love for Him via any of God's love languages (obedience, words of affirmation, acts of service, gifts, quality time). High levels of intimacy. (Isaiah 62:5, Philippians 3:8, Psalm 42:1)
So now asking the same question again...where does your relationship with God stand? What level are you at? Are you satisfied with that level? If not, what can you do to get to the level you desire?
Gchat/BBM Contact:
Communication is a result of availability and convenience. You're bored at work/home. You need an opinion on what to eat for lunch, where to go to get your tires fixed, or what to do on Friday night. The other person complies because talking about the latest Groupon for kayaking is far more appealing than working on those dreaded TPS reports. Both parties derive immediate gratification, entertainment, and utility from the conversation but there is no specific intentionality.
Email Buddy:
Communication stems from genuine interest. This requires conscious premeditated effort. An idea comes into your head that says "hey, I want to catch up with this person". Life updates can be exchanged without the commitment to carving out time to meet in person.
In-Person Friend:
Communication is not enough. You want to spend time with this person because you have established at least one common interest.
Phone/Skype Best Friend:
Reserved for only your closest relationships. You have so much to say to this person that you can't resort to online or SMS methods for fear of early onset of carpel tunnel syndrome. You realize you just hung out with him yesterday and will see him tomorrow, but you can't wait until then to catch up with him, you need to talk to him NOW. In many cases you have known this person for a long time and you have reached a level of comfort that eliminates awkward silences.
So where do your friends fall into place? Are you satisfied with the current standings? Maybe you want someone to become an in-person friend, but you're stuck at gchat due to distance or time constraints. So maybe you try to realign your priorities and increase your effort. And many times this will work, but sometimes it won't simply because the other party is content with the current relationship level and has no desire to upgrade. But what if I told you there was a relationship out there where the other party was willing to go to the highest level possible and it was simply up to us to decide if we wanted that? I'm talking about a relationship with God ya'll. We have the opportunity to fall head over heals in love with God if we want to, or simply leave it on a level that's equivalent with being just 'facebook friends'. Real quick let's explore the various levels of relationship available...
Potter and clay:
You are aware that your life is molded, shaped, and sometimes broken by a higher power. Limited communication if any. (Isaiah 64:8, Jeremiah 18:1-6)
Shepherd and sheep:
You feel provided for, watched over, and cared about. Sheep are content with this feeling and either don't know or can't comprehend that there is the potential for a deeper relationship (i.e. true intimacy). (John10:11, Psalm 23:1-6)
Master and servant:
You feel committed to obey, but the relationship is mainly about receiving instructions and carrying them out. (Matthew 6:24)
Father and child:
More intimate than master/servant. You have an understanding of God's fatherly love and care, and feel "at home" with God. (Isaiah 49:15, Zephaniah 3:17)
Friends:
Companions in a shared mission. You know what's on God's heart and He knows what's on your heart. You can be yourself without feeling judged. You confide in God because you trust Him. There is maturity and intimacy. (John 15:13-15, James 2:23)
Bridegroom and bride (lovers):
Head over heals in love. Can't stop thinking about Him. Always looking for ways to demonstrate your love for Him via any of God's love languages (obedience, words of affirmation, acts of service, gifts, quality time). High levels of intimacy. (Isaiah 62:5, Philippians 3:8, Psalm 42:1)
So now asking the same question again...where does your relationship with God stand? What level are you at? Are you satisfied with that level? If not, what can you do to get to the level you desire?
Posts
this post gets a check-mark as funny cause you neglected to distinguish between gchat and bbm contacts. gchat contacts are clearly superior as bbm contacts are, by and large, riff-raff.
ReplyDeleteThere may be levels of friendships, where a person can be either bff status or bbm chump...but with God it's different (thankfully). He doesn't rate us based on what we can bring to the relationship, because sadly we bring little (our righteousness = filthy rags).
ReplyDeleteI think the first four of what you're calling levels of relationship with God, are just manifestations of His love:
1)As the potter, He finishes the work He has begun in us. He makes and perfects us.
2)As shepherd, He protects, and He calls out when I wander too far. And as His sheep, I know His voice, and I follow.
3)See #5 though..."if you love me, keep my commandments"
4)...ummm...what you said. Yeah, that's what's up!
5)This is where I see level that you can move to. You move from 3 to 4, John 15:15 says "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you."
6)I don't like to think of Jesus as my lover. Creepy. But I get what you mean! Yeah, that's something we all aspire to.
Good post Chessy!