Who are your people? Chances are that phrase brings faces of loved ones to mind. People that have (probably) been in your life for a number of years. They’ve seen the good and the bad and everything in between. They are the one’s who are in your corner.
Generally speaking over the 7 years a student is in student ministry one of the most common pieces of advice they hear from me is find the right friends. Sometimes that information is understood and other times it’s dismissed. But that is teenagers for you. Most of them are likely thinking I’ve got friends what does it matter. When I get the chance I usually lean back in my chair, cross my arms over my chest, and start telling stories about my people.
According to psychologists if a friendship lasts more than 7 years it will be a lifelong relationship. That sounds great in theory but life happens. People move. You lose touch. That is just how life works.
Here’s the thing, if you find the right people none of that matters. For the most part I’ve been best friends with my best friends for over half my life. That’s a long time. Statistically that’s not normal for the size of our group. One person, sure, but not this many.
Time has touched us like it does everything else. Life happens. We no longer all live in the same city or even the same state. There have been marriages and babies and careers made along the way. We don’t get together collectively often. But when we do there is something magical about the way time seems to cease to exist. Not in the way that our time together drags but in how for that period of time we aren’t just adults talking about babies and mortgages and jobs. We are teenagers recounting years worth of hanging out and experiencing things. Everything and nothing has changed all at once.
One day you’re in high school talking about having kids. The next thing you know that actually happens. Let me tell you, getting to be involved with your best friends kids and watching them grow up is both a very weird but also wonderful thing. Suddenly it’s like this adulthood thing has come full circle and dreams have come true. When you hold that kid and they kind of stare at you like you are a weirdo, but the whole time you’re thinking child you have no idea how long you’ve been prayed for and waited on and dreamed about, it’s a good feeling.
Being together offers a respite from the world. It is certainly easy to block everything out when we are all together. Simultaneously playing catch up and reminiscing about days gone by while we look ahead to the future.
Life isn’t easy. But with the right people it can be made easier. Relationships aren’t easy but they are worth the work.
Your people matter. As I like to fondly tell the students have the ones that will be there for you when things are bad and celebrate you when things are good. Find the ones that will call you out in love and carry you to Jesus when you can’t do it yourself. When you find them hold on to them and be one of those people yourself.
So who are your people?
No comments:
Post a Comment