Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Thursday October 14, 2010

Awhile back I received a note from a friend who informed me that he could no longer associate with me due to serious differences concerning my insistence on helping men of the cloth who have in some way failed, often scandalously.

You realize that a true friendship would never be broken for this reason, as worthwhile friendship is based on storge, meaning serious affection which may include but is not limited to philia a social empathy. Social empathy is an old Webster statement relating to what we now call networking, discovering "friends" who may be beneficial to our career. In real words people whom we can use.

A few minutes after receiving the mentioned communication today's quote arrived via email just after I had received yet another statement on friendship from a dear friend. Today's thought is from Addie Johnson:

"True friendship is at the core of any happy life. If our family is our root system, our friends are our fellow branches. We're all striving together, supporting one another, providing shade and comfort."

I really like Addie's last phrase, "providing shade and comfort." When General Stonewall Jackson was accidently shot by one of his soldiers during the Battle of Chancellorsville, his last words were: "Let us cross over the river, and rest under the shade of the trees." That General Jackson was referring to mere trees is out of the question as everyone who has read about him knows as a fervent Christian he was looking forward to resting the under the Shade of Jesus and other ones who had gone before.

Over the course of my often turbulent life I have found comfort while resting in the shade of the sayings of Jesus and also in the shade provided by an understanding friend. Psalm 1 is noted as an Orphanic Psalm in that no one knows the human author. Verse 3 of the Psalm makes this notation of a righteous person: Psalms 1:3:

And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

The mentioned tree provides much, but his leaf is there to provide shade. I am thankful for the storge, shade tree friends who have permitted, even welcomed my time of recuperating in their shade and also for the privilege in a few cases of being a bit of shade for them.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2010 Use with credit

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