Fearless Friendship…Does it Matter?

Photo Credit: Cindy Cornett Seigle/Creative Commons

“Jody” was a sweet girl. She had beautiful blue eyes, a kind smile, and a warm heart. She liked sugar cookies and the color green. We weren’t particularly close friends, though we often shared the same table at lunch.

One day, just as I set my tray down, another classmate tapped me on the shoulder.

“Hey, Cindy, none of us are speaking to Jody today, okay? So when she comes, ignore her. Pass it down…”

Jody approached the lunch table then, tray in hand, blond ponytail bouncing. What had she done to merit such treatment?

It didn’t really matter. Lover of the underdog that I am, I refused. “No. That’s silly.”

Chain broken.

My classmate shrugged her shoulders and resumed eating.

Though I never discovered Jody’s shortcoming, whatever the oversight was, it cost her conversation and companionship with a select group of girls.

To this day, I remember the pinched expression on Jody’s face. The way her shoulders slumped and her countenance fell.

“Misguided priorities,” I quipped. “Don’t worry about what others think.”

The long-ago memory surfaced last week as recent events played out in the news.

“Bullying” wasn’t a term used decades ago. Though there was the usual teen angst and girly drama, true bullies were rare. At least in our little school.

Still, intentional harshness and deliberate actions had the ability to wound. And to those with fragile egos, a simple stare-down could cripple one’s resolve.

Fast forward to today. Today I think we may need a little lesson in “Friendship 101” Maybe it should be a required class alongside Algebra, Biology, or Language Arts. Our educational system could call it Fearless Friendship—The Art of Making and Being a Friend.

While that seems almost laughable, I really think it’s a novel concept.

Sadly, in some homes, life skills just aren’t taught. In other instances, living situations are less than ideal (and even horrible), so courteous treatment of others isn’t naturally inherent. Children must be taught at a young age things like diplomacy, respect, loyalty, and trust. In other words—how to be a friend.

I love meeting new folks and making new friends. My husband often jokes that I’ve never met a stranger. I like to talk and listen to people. I find their stories fascinating.

Yes, I’m cautious. I use good judgment. And during the initial stages of a blossoming friendship (until I get to know a person), I often set some boundaries.

But if we can’t rise to the occasion when folks—our friends—need us, then really what’s the point?

Jesus didn’t just seek out the “movers and the shakers.” He went to those without hope and in need. Of a Savior and a friend.

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What does “fearless friendship” mean to you?

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Photo Credit: Cindy Cornett Seigle/Creative Commons

See you on Friday!

Blessings Always,