About a month ago I had a conversation with an old friend that has stuck with me. I have contemplated it and conversed with my daughter about it. Before I say any more let me share what was said.
I was walking down the hall at church and there stood my old friend Tom. He had recently come back to attending church and this was his third week with us after years of being away. I shook his hand and expressed my happiness in seeing him again. Then he looked me in the eye and with great sincerity said "I finally figured out why I was missing coming to church."
Well, he had my interest now. I had missed him and his family all these years. I have family that also has not been to church in years so I figured that this could be enlightening for how I could help them. So with real intent to listen I said "oh, yeah, why is that Tom?"
Then he surprised me. He stated, " it's not about God, it's about friends. I'm fine with God, I missed all my friends. All my friends are here and I've missed seeing them."
I honestly wasn't quite sure how to take that. I assured him that we had missed him too and that we were so glad he was coming back. He then assured me that he was going to continue to come and that he was hoping to get his wife to come with him soon. I told him I thought that was a great idea and that we loved Deb too and would really enjoy seeing her again. We said our goodbyes for the week and parted. Now, before I go on I might add that he has continued to come each week and it is wonderful to enjoy having this good friend back in our lives on a regular basis.
Now my head was spinning. It's not about God? Well of course it's about God! We come to church to worship God, right?!? Why is his comment stuck in my head if he has it all wrong. So I kept on thinking and here is the my conclusion. He's right!
Wow, I never thought I would say that but I have definitely decided that my friend is right. It's about our friends! We come to church for our friends, for others, for our fellow man. Our relationship with God is personal. We build that relationship at home as we kneel in prayer, read from our scriptures and other inspired words, walk amongst nature experiencing His handiwork. As our relationship with our Maker grows our desire to reach out to His other children also grows. We want them to know of His goodness and mercy. We want them to feel His love and compassion. We want them to experience the joy and happiness we are so grateful for in our lives. So, we go to church to be with our friends. We gather together to share in our love for one another, and help each other through the many challenges of life. We rejoice together when babies are born. We chuckle together as kids grow and say the cutest things. We worry together as we teach our teens to drive and watch their independence formulate. We celebrate together as we realized it all went so quickly and our children are now graduating from school and then college and then on to lives of their own. We appreciate the wisdom of those ahead of us who are now in their golden years and lovingly offer us advice. All of this happens as we come together each week and see our friends! Over time they become more than friends, they truly become family. We become the family of God!
We are able to help strengthen our relationship with our Father in heaven by building relationships with His other children. He rejoices in seeing His children get along! We truly worship Him by serving each other. And this makes sense to me. As a parent my greatest desire is to see my children happy and in turn happily getting along with each other. Certainly the Father of us all wants to see His children living harmoniously. He knows that we need to learn all these lessons and many more so He established His church for His children so they can come together to worship Him by gathering and learning how to get along.
Since that conversation I have been able to attend church with a new perspective. I must admit I am enjoying it more. I'm not looking to be spiritually fulfilled although that often does happen. But, I now understand that it is my job on a personal level to tend to my spiritual needs. I'm there to see my friends, make new friends, and welcome back old friends. I'm there to reach out to them, help heal their troubles in any way I can and let them know that I'm willing to be there for them. As I strive to do those things I know I will be actively pursuing my desire to become more Christlike.
Just a final note to add. As a teen we met each Wednesday night for youth activities and always recited the same scripture during the opening exercises. " And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." (Mosiah 2:17)
So I had actually been taught it many years ago, but here with Tom's comment I was rediscovering it again. This is what our Heavenly Father has always wanted for us; to serve one another, for us to get along, for us to be friends! Thanks for helping me remember that truth Tom. As I sat in church this past Sunday between two friends, one from India, the other from China I marveled at how blessed I have been over the years in my associations with so many good people from all over the world simply because I go to church! I have friends from India, China, Mexico, the Philippines, Tonga, Fiji, and all over the United States. I met my dear husband at church, and together we have 12 friends who entered our lives as our children. Yes Tom, it's about the friends!
