Thursday, October 08, 2009

Forgotten and Neglected

Today I received an email from a friend who is a sister in the faith of our Savior King, Jesus. Her email letter was a response to one I'd sent to her asking how she was doing and wondering whether or not I'd offended her in some way. Her honest answer was, "Yes." At some point in the past she had reached out to me and I had neglected to reach back.

I wish I could say this was the first time I'd ever done that; and I wish I could promise to make it my last. I really do! I wish I could keep things so perfectly straight in my head and life that no one I care for and love ever had to feel, think or believe I'd let them down by not being there. But, alas, I know I cannot.

I am guilty...of forgetting and neglecting my family and friends. I don't know when it happened, or how and why I allowed myself to arrive in this place. When did my life get so full of busyness that the people who matter slipped from a place of importance and priority?

For sure, there are a number of things I could point to that would let me off the hook. But the truth is I don't want to be. I own the fact that I allowed later to become much later or never. For that I am truly sorry.

Why do I bother you with this today? Well, it's really simple. It's to encourage you, not to let that be said of you. For most of you this may not even apply, but if it does, I implore you to make a change! Don't allow your job or ministry to cause you to neglect family and friends. They matter too much.

The words to a popular song from 1971 written by Carol King titled, "You've Got a Friend" just came to mind. One of the lines says, "When you're down and troubled and you need a helping hand...ain't it good to know that you've got a friend?"1

My answer is, "yep, it sure is." Nothing beats having a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Proverbs 18:24 says, "A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."

Are you that friend?

Stephanie

1 http://www.lyricsfreak.com/j/james+taylor/youve+got+a+friend_20069226.html

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