focus

Friends?

“Katie Holmes? I know her! Well…were connected anyway – my kids went to high school with her.”

“If I had just joined Christ the King a year sooner, I would have seen her.”

“She babysat my cousin.”

“I sold flowers to her parents for a school fundraiser.”

None of these people, especially the last one, which is my “Kat-connection,” actually knows Katie Holmes. I’m amazed at how many Toledoans love to give their story of how they “know” Katie Holmes whenever she’s mentioned. Her cute, round face is plastered on half the magazine covers at the library where I work. As I’m checking the magazines out to patrons, it’s sure to follow that one of them “knows” her.

What is the big deal? I wondered. I mean, one of these days, when the topic of God comes up in a random conversation, I’ll get to say that I actually know Jesus Christ. This is the point where I feel a big pang of regret. Can I honestly say with confidence that I know Him? Sometimes, I’m just a Namedropper Christian, bragging that I know Jesus when I know Him about as much as much as I know Katie Holmes. This distant feeling can happen so fast, too, and it’s always we who do the moving. Good thing we can always know Him better, starting now - *snaps.

I tried to compare knowing God to knowing a person. What would you do if you were friends with Katie Holmes? Think about how you’d get to know her if she called you her friend? You two would share these things and more:

Communion – You’d spend time with her. At the park, shopping, dining out, or just hanging out. Sometimes I feel disconnected from the singles group – I know it has to do with not making the activities or going out after church. Often just being in people’s presence is enough to know them that much more. You might get to know Katie so well that you could just sit in a room together without saying a word – fall asleep on her couch.

Communication – Duh, you’d talk a lot, and write and call. You’d keep each other up to date about your lives. If you didn’t speak for awhile you could pick right back up where you let off.

Comfort – You’d be there for each other and reach out. You’d be free to be yourself. Know each other’s flaws. Ask to borrow things. After falling asleep on her couch, you might begin to snore loudly, but she wouldn’t mind.

Captivation – You’d be truly interested in what she does. (To this day, I’ve never actually seen her work.) You’d watch her movies, read her interviews, laugh about things she said ages ago, and think of her often. You’d naturally defend her honor when someone talked trash about her and you’d probably hate the paparazzi with a passion. You’d never rationalize that the paparazzi is just doing their job, because you’d have compassion for her – you’d see her side of things when it comes to celebrity status.

When I think of a friendship with God similar to a human friendship (totally backwards, I know), it motivates me to invite myself into His presence. Because He is our friend, and not a punitive, far-off God – we can boldly come to the throne of grace (Heb. 4:16). Obviously, He isn’t human so there is no comparison!

Reminder: Katie Holmes doesn’t know who you are. But the Lord does, and He waits more patiently than any friend, for a visit.