PHOTO EPISTLE #39-Christian Friends

Years ago I shot this image of a our friend Christie during her home birth. Normally, I would not shoot such a private moment, but this was a special case, with a special story. Leslie and Christie had become friends during a show they both performed about women having to give birth during the 1800’s while traveling West. Christie was a believer who had fallen away from her walk after meeting and falling in love with another smooth talking college boy in Austin, Texas. Soon Christi found herself pregnant and the news was not well received by her “lover”. When she refused to murder her baby per his wishes, he pulled a gun out and attempted to shoot her. Fortunately the gun misfired and Christie was able to get away. For the remainder of her pregnancy friends would help hide her from her ex. Eventually, he just went away and her many friends were all there to help her the night her son was born, July 4th, 1986. This photo has always been iconic of true Christian love and friendship.

I feel it is so important for us to remember that the only thing we will leave planet earth with and take with us into eternity is our relationships with others, especially those relationships in Christ. It has saddened me to observe the hearts of so many Christians wax cold towards other believers in these last days. I personally have experienced and watched others experience the pain of being judged and written off by other believers. It seems the value of relationships is plummeting among many believers in Christ as I have seen them pridefully wad-up relationships with once close friends and discard them into a trash can for silly reasons. God has called us to be better than that! Matthew 18 is all about true Christian love and friendship! God calls us to go after our friends who have fallen away and rejoice when they repent. More than ever, not only are we not seeing Christians or pastors going after those falling away, they are simply judging them and writing them off. Matthew 18 further instructs us to love and pray for them even if they do not repent. Matthew 18 leaves us with a very strong warning about judging and writing off others in your heart in the form of a parable about an unmerciful person. Gods warning is clear ³⁵ “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”. I can tell you as one who has been judged and written off recently, it hurts a lot, especially from a brother in Christ. Oh and just to be clear, I to have judged others in my past and written them off. I have also experienced my Fathers loving wrath until I forgave. You really do not want to go there! Trust me, it is much easier and better for all to just forgive FROM YOUR HEART!

the Jesusfreak