Corner

I heard this sermon the other day about Jesus being in "my corner" and I started thinking about the verse that says that "If God is for me who can be against me" (Romans 8:31) and what that really looks like not just with God being in our corner, but the people in our lives who are.
So I thought, why not ask a few of the ladies in my life what their take on this subject is and see if it lines up or differs from what my thoughts are. I was not really that surprised to find that the "data" I collected was pretty similar.  Here are some of what was shared on what "being in your corner" looks like to them:  "It means that I will fight for you even if that means I have to be completely honest with you, even when it is hard.  It means I would stand up for you if malicious gossip should arise about you."  "It means that they are for you and want to see you succeed, that they would help you at any time even if it is inconvienient, to see what is really going on in your life...beyond surface talk."  "It means that they have your back and you do not have to question it when you are not around."  "It means that they are your cheerleader, cheering you on and walk beside you in life...the good and bad."  "It is praying for you when I do not have the words to say and allow Jesus to love on you."  As I read through these I thought what wisdom had been spoken, but also, I wonder how much hurt or pain was caused that these ladies learned the true meaning of this.  Since I heard this sermon it has been swirling around in my head because I think this topic is so needed in life, and the truth of the matter is that it is rare because too many people are so self consumed with their own life they barely look over to see the ones that God has given them to run this life race with. Not everyone in your life is "in your corner" plain and simple.  It takes wisdom and discernment to learn who these people are, but when you do figure it out, hold them close they are a rare commodity. I do not know about you but when I am with my "in my corner friends" I feel as if all is right in the world, I can be myself, share the deep things of my heart and know that it will stay confidential, that whatever the world throws at me I know they will encourage and pray for me...fight the fight with me.  There is something so sweet and so secure about it, that it brings so much joy.  I have also lived through my share of very painful goodbyes to people in my life that said they were "in my corner" but turned out not to be.  There are so many things that surround the situations that do not make sense, but I trust that the Lord will straighten what needs staightening.  As strange as it may sound I am thankful for those painful moments (if only for this very second, I will probably change my mind later:) because it taught me how to love people better, to long suffer with them, to be a better friend, to be empathetic when they hurt, to be loyal even when they do not deserve it, to ask the hard questions even if it's too honest, to fight for the people that matter and not give up when things are tough, to encourage, pray harder, to stick up for them even if they are not present and to be their biggest fan.
To truly exemplify what was listed above takes a love for others that really only Jesus can fill you with.  We fight our flesh everyday and make decisions either that are right or ones that are wrong. Example: We can either gossip because we feel justified in our position or we can pray and allow the Lord to handle it.  We fight these kinds of choices everyday.
If I was to ask you, list the people in your life that "are in your corner" how many could you list?  If I was to ask people in your life "is so and so in your corner? What would they say? Probably would be a good conversation piece over lunch sometime.  No one is perfect and we will not always be pefect "corner" friends, but trying to be better at it is what counts.  Learning from your mistakes, and taking ownership over them is what it is all about.  Like I said, not everyone is for you and it would be wise to figure that out because the ones that are deserve your time and effort.  I may not get this "corner friend" stuff right all the time, but I am gonna fight trying so that if asked if I am in their corner the answer would be, "I have no doubt."

"As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend." Proverbs 27:17
"So encourage one another and build each other up." 1 Thessalonians 5:11