How to be my BFF

I've come to realize that I'm surrounded by a pretty cool group of people. I love these people because they're imperfect, AND they also love me in spite of my imperfections. Sometimes maybe because of them.

I was recently talking with a friend who was telling me about a recent event in which she was involved. She was explaining to me how, though it was 'fun,' the expectations from the host even weeks before the event were too much to handle. She was mentally done with this even before it took place. Thankfully her role wasn't that of event planner. BUT what made this more stressful is that she was friends with the host and many of the attendees. I don't really know the people, so it was cool of her to vent her frustrations.

You know what I realized then? I have surrounded myself with friends who have no expectations from me in order to love me. It's such a freeing thing - knowing I don't have to measure up to or meet anyone's standards. What kind of love is that??? That's a very conditional kind of love which isn't really love at all. Not to me.

Just the other day, my friend, Crissi, wrote a really insightful article, in which she at one point was basically confessing her former self-righteous and judgmental ways . It reminded me of how I used to be as well. I'm sure I still have some of that in me, but I hate it. That's why I hate gossip. It's just a silly way for us to feel better about ourselves. We think, "At least we're not like such and such..." We may not say it, but we're thinking it. But yeah, I used to even judge people's character by their eating habits. Are you kidding me? No, I'm not kidding you. Although I still believe that we need to steward our bodies and therefore not become gluttons, I won't hold you in higher regard over Joe just because you're a spinach eater and he's not.

I don't think God extends himself only to people who strive to do 'good.' In fact, everything that we'll ever need to get to heaven (or attain righteousness) has already been done. I can't try to 'get' right standing with God or anyone else. It has already been done for me. Any other striving is only empty and pointless. All that striving...it's not good for us.

I think that when the man, Jesus, was on earth, he extended Himself to people that needed Him. The ones who had it all figured out...well, they had it all figured out and didn't need Him, according to them. They needed Him more than anyone but were too proud to admit it. Jesus was here for those who readily admitted their weaknesses (uh...sins or whatever) and their need for Savior.

Although Jesus came as the Savior, I don't think He was some kind of weirdo walking around town holding his head up high and mighty, too good to hang out with imperfect peeps. Because He was a man, I'm pretty sure He was like us (most of us) and had friends and stuff. AND I don't think He befriended people based on expectations. I mean, hello Judas, right? No, I think He pretty much extended His friendship to normal people who didn't have it all together. He probably had some pretty weirdo friends. At least that's how we would classify them today.

It's true. Go to any traditional church, and what happens if a homeless person walks in...or a tattooed crazy, or someone who just doesn't fit the mold? Everyone stares. We do that when we're just walking around Wal-Mart or wherever, much more in "God's House." Give me a break. That's such a load. And it's junk.

So to my point. We are not Jesus, nor should we attempt to be. What we should do is learn from Him because He was a pretty good teacher. He said so Himself...well, He wasn't bragging. He was just saying to learn from Him. At this point in life, I'm beginning to think that's a pretty good idea. It makes the world a better place when we befriend weirdos and when we befriend them with "no excuses, no exceptions, no expectations, and no reservations."

After all, you're a weirdo too.