Do you have time for friends?

For much of my life, I thought that being independent was such a noble thing. Both Chris and I were raised to be independent. We have raised two children to be independent. Just last week, my kids flew to and from California by themselves. When their return flight had mechanical issues, it looked as if they might end up spending the night in Salt Lake City without an adult. Chris and I were not overly concerned by something that would unnerve some couples.Through the years, however, I have come to appreciate that there is a huge difference between being functionally independent and relationally independent. It is great to be able to function in a variety of settings, but it is unhealthy to be at a place where we do not see our need for friends. Independence at the cost of relationships is a recipe for disaster, yet that is what is modeled by much of our culture.Intellectually, we know that relationships are important. Most of us would never dare to say that friendships are not valuable, yet many times our actions show our real priorities. How often have I avoided a conversation because I didn’t want my schedule interrupted? Is anyone else guilty of passing on a social outing since more work needed to be completed? Not one of us will get to the end of our lives and wish we had met one more deadline or organized one more mess.As I flipped through my journal last week to find the next blank page, something caught my attention that I did not anticipate. I had been in Matthew 18 for the last few days of my Priority Time. As I looked back over my entries, I realized that in just one chapter, Jesus had shown the disciples three enormous truths:

1. No matter the cost, we must get rid of that which causes us temptation.2. We should go after the one who is lost regardless of how many are well.3. There is a right way to handle relationships if someone sins against us.

In just thirteen verses, Jesus conveys how to navigate some of life’s biggest hurdles. Each of these parables could fill a book’s worth of truth, but what struck me was the realization that there is absolutely no way that I can fulfill just these three truths of Scripture by myself, let alone the rest of the Bible! I must choose to engage in meaningful friendships to be the woman of God that He created me to be.Think about it… How often do I remove things from my life that are temptations without the Lord using someone to help me see the stumbling block in front of me? It is easy to minimize my temptations and keep them within reach if I never let anyone into my world. I bet the other shepherds helped watch the rest of the herd while the one shepherd went after the 100th sheep. And rest assured, if left to ourselves, almost every one of us would rather turn against the person who sins against us rather than turn towards them.It takes time, energy and consistent investment to develop relationships of substance. It is easier to get busy with things rather than people, but we are called to sharpen one another. We need one another. Who are you letting into your world? Who are you investing in that needs you? May we spend our time investing in what truly matters!