April 3 - Pre Easter

What would it have been like to be a friend of Jesus?  I know we talk about Jesus these days as our ‘best friend’, our bff, but I mean, what would it have been to be a friend of the pre-resurrection Jesus – to have walked with him in the dust of a small corner of the Roman Empire, to have been a physical witness to his death?

At first I would have been so excited to be his friend.  I love to know or know of famous people.  I would have name-dropped my friend Jesus whenever I could.  “Oh Jesus, yeah, we go way back.  He’s like no one I’ve ever met.  I was with him the other day when he, you know, like somehow brought Lazarus back to life!  I don’t know how he did it, eh?  That guy – he’s our future," I might say.

And then people would start saying he was a King – our king.  I’d walk just behind him into Jerusalem while the people shouted ‘hosanna, hosanna!’  I’d secretly imagine the privilege that would come for me when Jesus took his throne.  I would be more than just a subject; I’d be a person the king made time for.

But then.  Then he’d start talking about his death, over and over.  He’d say things like “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.”  All I would really understand is that Jesus thought he was going to die rather then be enthroned.

Disillusionment would start to creep in.  "He’s made false promises to me,’ I’d complain to myself.  ‘He’s like two people – who’s my real friend Jesus?  The one happy to have the people call him King, or the one intent on giving up?"  I’d start to question whether this friendship was really worth it.

And then we’d enter the dark night.  They would come for him and he wouldn’t resist.  I’d feel sorrow.  Angry.  Betrayed.  Misled.  And, like so many many of his friends, I would abandon him to the crowd.  Cut my losses and run.

I have a friend in God.  But what sort of friend would he have had in me that night?  What sort of friend does he have in me now, when life seems not to go to plan?  When I don’t understand him, or his ways?