Friendship and Betrayal

"But there's a whole lot more to friendship than simply not committing a betrayal, wouldn't you say?" - John Eldridge, Walking With God

This hit me like a ton of bricks and in an instant, clarified and articulated what has been lacking in my Christianity for so long. Hang with me here, I know that seems like a weird jump.

I feel as though we as Christians have bought into such a narrow view of what it means to follow Jesus or to know God. We think Christianity is primarily about sinning less. We change our behaviors, attempt to break our addictions, maybe change the circles we run in. We've reduced our relationship with God to simply avoiding sin. Avoiding sin is a good thing, but it's only a start. It's only a small piece of the puzzle. And it is horribly inadequate. That's where Eldridge's quote leaps off the page for me. There is more to a friendship with God than simply not betraying Him. I don't mentally check out on my friends once I confirm they aren't stabbing me in the back... No, the fact they aren't stabbing me in the back means there is an open connection for life and conversation and laughter and comfort, etc. Those things are what make a friendship a friendship. Not simply the absence of betrayal...

So. We've gotten really good at managing our sin. We keep it under wrap most of the time, though sometimes those "besetting sins" keep getting the best of us. But, so what. Just avoiding sin is a terribly shallow spiritual experience. Call me naive, call me idealist. I want more. I want to have a friendship with God that transcends my behaviors. I want to know the close companionship of the Presence of Jesus in the day-to-day experiences of life. I want to have a relationship with God that is tangible and life-giving, and near impossible to explain to those who don't have it. Not so it seems I've "arrived spiritually" or anything, but simply so that it is so deeply real to me that it becomes hard to reduce it to words or principles or behaviors.

And the cool thing is, I think God wants this with us, too. I think that's what Jesus and others talk about in the Bible about knowing God and being one with Him. It isn't simply about not sinning, though that is necessary to keep the lines of communication open, in a sense. I believe God wants us to be close to Him and for us to walk through our day with His Presence continually in our hearts and minds.