You're My Best Friend

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:25-29 NIV)

About a year ago, Cecelia became familiar with the concept of "best friend."  Imagine my joy when snuggling on my lap one day she said, "Kaymee, you are my best friend!"  Well, it was only minutes later as we were talking about the fun she had with a little girl at church that she announced that "Raleigh is my best friend!"  Haha... that knocked the wind out of my sails, but I recovered quickly and teased, "But I thought I was your best friend."  Cecelia:  "You are!"  Me:  "But you just said Raleigh is your best friend and you can only have one best friend."  Cecelia:  "Na-uh, Kaymee... EVERYBODY is my best friend!"

As I have watched her become more and more social over the last year, I believe it.  Whoever Cecelia is interacting with, she treats them like the most important person in her life.  She's attentive, she shares her feelings and wants to know how the other person feels.  She is happy when they are happy and sad with them when they are sad.  She loves to help her best friends and she misses each best friend when she hasn't seen them for a while... and when she does see them again, she shows her excitement.

I love this concept of treating everyone like our best friend.  And isn't that what Jesus really asks of us?  "Who is my neighbor" would translate in Cecelia's mind as "Who is my best friend?"  Whoever we are interacting with... whether it be family, friend, co-worker, client, person serving us or complete stranger, we should be excited to see them and want to know how they are doing and in what ways we can help.  We should be happy in their joy and share their grief.  We should be attentive to what they say and how they feel.

Some people, like Cecelia, are just born with the tendency to be "best friends" to everybody.  With some of us who are more introverted, it takes a different approach, and "best friends" may look a little different.  But we all know how to care for one another... and that really is all God wants.

Father,
Help us to make everybody our best friend.  Amen.

Joys: Lessons learned from watching children; a great shower for Chelsea last night; a little extra Emma time this week.