evening

It is cold outside, a chill which reaches deep. The wind has stilled after blowing all the day, a fair breeze swirling the branches and dust. At dusk a mist moved in, a light mist which barely touches the ground.

A couple of things have been on my mind these last few days, well more than a couple, but a couple of things stand out for this setting. Friendship and church, one thought flowed into another, realizing only later how related they are.

I was watching some show, seeing the practical response to needs expressed, the practical help which was offered. Friends are those who are there, who are there more than with just words, who could be absent for a while but show up in a time of need, for an answer beyond one’s own strength. Acquaintances may put in more time, but have less a commitment. They are the ones who point out issues, who judge events or traits, but withhold any interaction. An acquiantance is someone who asks about a problem or issue, giving their opinion on the matter. A friend is someone who helps you overcome, helps you resolve the issue, as well as they can at least, or as well as they are invited.

Whether this is a practical or emotional or intellectual or social problem, friends are there to carry weight, ease the burden, reveal light if light can be shown. Acquaintances are full of advice, but no hands are extended.

Church is much the same way. The purpose of the church, according to the Apostle Paul, no mean authority on the subject, is edification. Read the Scriptures, it’s there. Purpose of the gifts? Edification. In our language, in our era, this has taken on the meaning of encouragement or well wishing, something to lift up another, nice words for the journey. The real meaning has a lot more depth, a lot more reaction. Rather than just being a kind word, it is more akin, very much akin, to the idea of building a house. When we edify, according to the NT, we are to build each other up by actual construction. We don’t just pass along nice words, we make each other better, more efficient, stronger.

Edification, all the gifts, is meant to be a continual process of helping each other become more, become better, become fuller people, reaching past our own limited view into something broader. At every point our goal should be to make another, others, stronger, wiser, more joyful. That is the purpose of the Church, whether in its organizational manifestations or in the more fluid interactions of Christian and Christian. There is no Church if the people are not active in helping each other be more in every way, balancing out the gifts so that one’s weakness is another’s strength.

There is much more to this, a lot more. For now, I just wanted to get out this little bit out.

It’s early, and I’m tired. So, with nothing to keep me up, I’m going to bed, excited about starting again tomorrow.