Who Is Your Tribe?
Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep
with those who weep. – Romans 12:15
Who is your tribe? Who are those people who will be
there no matter what is happening in your life?
I lead a weekly Bible journaling class and this was
our verse last week. We imagined (Okay. I imagined and they translated in their
own unique styles.) having friends who climb in the boat and row furiously
toward you, determined to throw you a life preserver even though you are
certain that you are drowning.
That’s what I mean by having a tribe. Those are your
people. They are the ones who will drop anything and everything to rush to your
side. They are the ones who remember to bring a box of tissue when you need to
cry. And they are the ones who bring balloons and a heart filled with
celebration when times are good.
Do you have people like that in your life? I hope so
because life would be so lonely without them.
We weren’t meant to do life alone. We were meant to
join together, to carry one another and to rejoice with one another and to
share the daily tidbits of life with one another. So why do we feel sometimes
that we aren’t worthy of receiving that kind of friendship? And why do we feel sometimes
that we have nothing to offer to those God has placed before us?
I am generally quick to be there for my friends. I
carry food, arrange lunch plans, make the phone call, send the text. I show up
at the hospital or give the hugs and gifts. I try to be a good friend, someone
who is present in the lives of those I care about.
I’m not as good at receiving that type of friendship.
I hold back. I don’t want to inconvenience anyone. I don’t want to burden those
I care about. Maybe I seem standoffish or totally independent to those who don’t
know me. I’m thankful for those who have pushed through the layers of rejection
that have scarred me deeply to see who I really am and loved me without reserve.
I’ve been burned. There’s no doubt about that. I’m
sure you have been too. We’re messy people, flawed, and sometimes we trust
where we shouldn’t. Sometimes we betray those we love. Sometimes life fills us
with brokenness.
I’ve learned that some people aren’t meant to be a
part of my world. Their drama is too much for my heart. I prefer to surround
myself with people who are steady, solid, grounded in a deep faith that shows
itself in their lives. Those are my people. They are my tribe.
And I’ve learned to let go. A sweet friend came to me,
her eyes reflecting her shattered heart. Family hurts can destroy you if you
let it. She’s tried everything but some people refuse to look beyond themselves
and the lies they have told. It stings but you let go and go on. “You
understand,” she told me. I do. It is the gift we give one another, this gift
of friendship and understanding in the midst of our shattered hearts.
Friends make you stronger. And, in turn, you make them
stronger. The Bible tells us that where two or three are gathered, God is with
us. Embrace that truth. Surround yourself with people who love you no matter
what, who believe in you. People you can trust. People who love Jesus with all
they have and shower His love on you. That’s your tribe. Those are the people
who will furiously paddle a boat toward you in the middle of a storm so they
can throw you a life preserver so you won’t drown.
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