But there's so much more to standing in someone's wedding than just
the fun and games.
I got the chance to spend and evening playing board games with my friend, his wife, and a couple other close friends (most of whom were also groomsmen). I'll spoil the ending for you all right now: their marriage isn't perfect. he leaves the light on in the pantry and their cat keeps them both awake when she's hyper.
But as I sat there, watching their imperfect marriage (and getting my butt kicked in board games...I guess that was only fair after mini-golf) I realized that as much as I might want to, as much as we all might try, the chances of me knowing them this closely for the rest of their lives is virtually nothing. My friendship with them is beautiful because it is temporary. Their marriage is beautiful because it is permanent.
Not all friendships are meant to last for this life’s entire span. Family passes away, friends move; each moment with someone is but a brief flair in the life of the mist.
And so I sat there watching my friend, watching his wife and enjoying what they have and have shared with me. I know that it won’t last forever which means what I have now is precious.
But the brevity of friendship doesn’t mean the friendship dies when it fades. No, friendship is like a light bulb. You turn it off when needed – we can’t be friends to everyone we love all at once. But, when the friendship presents itself again, when the barriers of distance and time collapse, you turn the light back on. A faded friendship isn’t dead, it’s waiting.
And one day, one day friendship won’t have to fade. One day, when the light surrounding us is from God Himself, when His glory fills the very air we breathe…on that day and every day like it, I believe that we will be able to embrace our brothers and sisters and no mistake, lapse of time, length of distance that turned off the light in this life will matter. One day we will be able to hold those we’ve loved the most in this life and nothing will come between us. Why? Because we will finally realize what really matters. We will finally know that God alone is worthy, that nothing in this life compares to Him. We will no longer see dimly in a mirror – a flat image, twisted and manipulated by where you stand and where you look. Rather, we will see face to face; the painting will become real; brevity will give way to eternity.
So I will cherish the brevity of friendships, the temporary nature of loves in this
life knowing that one day this picture will give way to reality.