Quiet Friendship

Quiet Friendship

If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.

One day in December, I cooked up a pan of baked ziti, a Tupperware bowl of ham and wild rice soup, and fudgy brownies and paired them with bread and salad from the store. I then packed it all up in a sturdy box and drove over snowy back roads to give the homemade meals to an amazing mama friend who has children with medical challenges. They had just survived a week at the hospital with one of her children and were spending a well-deserved day at home in their pajamas.

As I surveyed my box of plastic and aluminum containers, I couldn’t help but think of how unglamorous my box looked. No one would take a picture and post it to Pinterest or Instagram; no one would stop scrolling social media to admire my efforts. It reminded me of how often friendship, at its deepest level, is unglamorous. It’s often shown in quiet moments, in unseen encounters. It happens amid the mundane moments of our lives. Friendship is not always picture-worthy—and yet, it’s profoundly memorable.

When I dropped the items off, my friend didn’t see the ugly containers. Instead, she saw two meals she didn’t have to cook. She smelled the mouthwatering fudginess emanating from the brownies. She noticed the hug and smile I offered. She felt the care and concern directed her way.

Sometimes friendship requires quiet, discreet acts of kindness. Our good works committed in a spirit of love and service aren’t meant for public fanfare; they are a reflection of the care and loving-kindness Jesus has shown us. If that’s you today—if you are doing things that feel overlooked or minor to you—I recognize the care and love that you’re offering to others. And, more importantly, I know that God sees you and honors the spirit in which your acts of friendship are accomplished.

— Kristin

— Today’s Act of Friendship —

Commit to doing an “unglamorous” act of friendship, be it making a meal or something else.