Worship, Music, and Spirituality: Thank You for Being a Friend

I once had a friend who responded to every request and idea from me with something request and idea from me with something along the lines of “Impossible! Can’t be done.” I’d say okay, and then a week later, he would casually show me that he had done the thing. When I would inquire about how, he would often say that a better way came to him while he was contemplating the fallacy of my plan. “All is still hopeless,” he would reiterate, and I would gently remind him that we had never yet met an impossible problem while working together. 

I had another friend whom I met outside of my usual contexts, so we didn’t have a social resume of each other. She had no way of knowing that I was renowned for my superior bridesmaid skills, and I had no way of knowing that she had more connections than a cellphone provider. What we knew was that we both loved Jesus, snacks, a really good story, and each other. It was truly liberating and empowering knowing I had a friend who loved me for my being. It helped me to remember, especially in the busy seasons of my life, that my worth was in no way linked to my usefulness and the amazing things I can do with others. 

It is no coincidence that Jesus is the person that ultimately introduced me to both of these fabulous friends. The first was the sexton in a church I served, and the other, my bestie, I met at seminary. One of the many miracles of the Christian story and of the Christian faith is that it is rooted in friendship. Jesus called his followers friends. Jesus asked us to be good friends to each other. And perhaps one of the most miraculous things about Jesus’ ministry is that a 30-something-year-old had so many deep, meaningful, and transformative friendships. 

Amazing friendships transform our lives because they affect how we go about our days, how we think about problems, how we understand our community, and how we feel about ourselves. We will stop what we are doing to cry or dance with a friend. If a friend is suffering, we suffer as well. As our circle of friends grows, our empathy and love for the world around us must also grow. We become kindred spirits. Kin.

 And when a friend dies, the transformation takes on a new form as we mark, celebrate, and continue their legacy. Their birthday, their death, that special trip you took together in the mountains become stitched in our hearts as we keep their ministry and our love alive. This is especially true of our mutual friend, Jesus, the Christ. Every Sunday, when we gather, we celebrate, remember, and worship the one who transforms our lives, loves us, and calls us friend. 

When we come together in worship, we are invited into a friendship that allows us to imagine and experience the transformational power of love. 

How could I not spend time with my dearest friend? 

Honoured to be worshipping with you, 

Alydia 

Alydia Smith, Program Coordinator, Worship, Music and Spirituality