To See Jesus as a friend is to desire to be that kind of friend

​I read that Bob Goff quote this morning and thought, I think Facebook should change how they characterize the relationships here. I think it's much more accurate to say we are all acquaintances here than it is to say we are friends. At least by Goff's definition.

I realize that's not completely true. But I have a lot of "friends" here and 99% of them fit Goff's definition of acquaintances.

Goff isn't saying, and neither am I, that acquaintances are a bad thing. Knowing what each other are doing can be inspiring and a good guide in our lives. In May, I just ran/walked the most miles I've ever run in a month. That was largely motivated by some awesome acquaintances whom I admire.

The problem is, I think, that as a large part of the world got busy doing things and then talking about the things they are doing, a large part of the world got left behind feeling unloved. They got left feeling friendless.

I had a thought provoking conversation with a "friend" yesterday whom I deeply respect and admire. We didn't see something completely eye to eye. It's sort of cool when you can see life from different angles without calling each other names and hating each other. It allows you to think deeper and learn.

We were talking about the riots going on. I said, you know, in the old testament God used to be a bit of a "start a riot" kind of God. And she reminded me that Jesus came so God wouldn't have to riot anymore.

I thought about that conversation yesterday afternoon as I was walking the trails. It's not biblical, completely- I mean you aren't going to find this conversation anywhere - but I started imagining Jesus having a conversation with God. I could hear him say, dad, I don't think your riots are going to work anymore. I think you need to let me just go be their friends.

And in my head and on those trails I could hear God saying, OK. Go be their friend.

When Jesus arrived, he walked straight to the people who had been oppressed and harassed and marginalized. And he never left them. He said a friend is someone who is eager to be the last in line if it will help move ahead those who've always been imprisoned there.

He said a friend is eager to do that - not willing.

Jesus just kept doing that. He just kept going to the back of the line and he just kept saying I want you to move up. One ditch in the line after the other, through his love, he just kept saying I want to be your friend.

As Christians, there is a lot of opportunity to be an acquaintance of Jesus and not his friend. There is a lot of opportunity to read the bible and be enamored by all that Jesus did and lose sight of the way that Jesus loved.

To consider Jesus an acquaintance is to be inspired to be a better person. To consider Jesus as a friend is to feel obligated to be a better friend.

To consider Jesus an acquaintance is to look at the oppressed and harassed and marginalized and say here is what I want to do better. To consider Jesus a friend, we have to go to those same people and say I want to make sure you have a better life than I have.

Radical? Yes. It's like someone going to the back of an execution line and tapping someone on the shoulder and saying, hey, step out of line please. I want to take your place. I want to die so you don't have to.

In the end that's what Jesus did. He climbed on a cross and died so we'd all be less oppressed and harassed and marginalized.

To see Jesus as an acquaintance is to remember what he did on that cross with gratitude. To see Jesus as a friend is to see that cross and feel obligated to be that same kind of friend to others.

To see Jesus as an acquaintance is to hear Jesus say my work is done. To see Jesus as a friend is to hear him say your work has only just begun.