Grace-filled Friendship

Grace-Filled Friendship

Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you.

“Mom, Charlie got mad at me today over nothing. He’s too sensitive.” Jonny’s complaint came in the midst of his own frustration and sadness, certain he was a bad friend but unsure of what he had done wrong.

Charlie and Jonny have very different personalities, and Jonny’s fun-loving exuberance is sometimes a bit much for Charlie’s slightly quieter personality. They are learning to navigate each other’s quirks, and that means sometimes they get frustrated. On occasion, I offer a wise word to help, and sometimes I let them wrestle through it on their own, secretly monitoring the conversation to make sure no one strays into inappropriate territory.

But this particular frustration was bigger than young boys learning to live in harmony, and a broader perspective is sometimes necessary when learning to be a godly friend.

“Honey, you know that Charlie’s mom doesn’t live with them, right?” I asked. Snuggling my son close, I spent the next several minutes talking with him about how Charlie’s parents’ divorce might be impacting Charlie—how Charlie might be feeling even if he doesn’t verbalize it, how strong feelings sometimes spill out sideways into friendships, and how Jonny needs to be an especially good friend to Charlie right now, even if Charlie is more frustrating than usual.

Sometimes, we need a gentle reminder that we are not at the center of anyone else’s story, and that godly friendship might require us to be more grace-filled and less easily offended when our friend walks through a particularly bad time. When we recognize that our friend’s frustration is a direct result of external circumstances, and we just happen to be in the line of fire, we can set aside our own hurt and respond with love and grace, unoffended.

— Julie

— Today’s Act of Friendship —

Consider who in your life needs extra grace from you and pour an extra serving of unconditional love into that relationship.