I hope you have one.
That one person who knows your greatest joys and deepest pain and keeps it locked in her heart as if the secrets were her own.
She is a gift from God to me, that friend.
She’s the one I call when I’m wracked with sobs and the words won’t come. She knows it’s me and just waits on the line until I can speak. She gets my jokes, knows my weaknesses, my strengths and helps me steer a better path on this hard road called “Life”.
She is a safe friend.
A safe friend listens.
Just listens.
She isn’t formulating an answer while I am talking, she isn’t rounding up cliches or Bible verses or platitudes meant to make her sound wise and shush my sharing. She hears my heart even when my words might not make sense.
A safe friend sees.
Really sees.
She looks in my eyes and pays attention to my expression. She notices when my smile doesn’t match the tone of my words or the silent language of my hands.
She won’t let me by with a quick, “I’m fine!” meant to brush off the real need to spill my guts.
A safe friend stays.
As long as it takes.
She doesn’t leave in the middle of a hard conversation. Even if life gets in the way, she will come back and pick it up. She checks in with me and doesn’t let time unwind the threads that bind us together. If I don’t contact HER, she contacts ME.
A safe friend walks with me.
No matter how steep the path, no matter how rocky the road. We might be hobbling along, broken together, but she keeps going and she keeps me going.
A safe friend encourages me to look to Jesus.
She admits that she doesn’t have all the answers. She agrees that there are many things we will have to wait to understand. But she reminds me that for this, we have Jesus. We have a High Priest Who was tempted in every way yet was without sin. We can enter boldly into the Holy of Holies because by His blood the veil is rent.
She doesn’t issue spiritual ultimatums that undermine, instead of strengthen, my faith in Christ.
A safe friend doesn’t cut me out of her life when my life is a mess.
Even if the mess is of my own making. She helps me untangle the knot, own up to the sin, reach out to Christ and make amends.
A safe friend doesn’t just “happen”.
She allows the grace and mercy and love of Jesus to mold her heart so that He can use her.
Everyone NEEDS a safe friend.
Anyone willing can BE that friend.
thelifeididntchoose 