Coming out of Hiding

Once upon a time, there was a little girl.  This little girl had a best friend.  This best friend was so wonderful that the little girl was desperate to tell everyone about Him.  He was the good news that she wanted to share with the entire world.  She would have gone to the ends of the earth to talk about Him.  She didn't talk about Him because she was supposed to, or because she felt a moral obligation, or because she was worried about her friends burning in hell.  She talked about Him because her entire life revolved around Him.  She couldn't help it.  It was like her little cup was just constantly spilling over, and she couldn't help getting it on everyone that she was around.  Sometimes people didn't like it.  Sometimes they really liked it when they got to know her best friend.  But that didn't really matter to her.  She just couldn't help herself.  It was like breathing.

Then one day,  she isn't sure when, she got scared.  She learned that her best friend was offensive.  She learned the word "tolerant," and she learned that that word was the most important thing in the world.  She heard about these people called fundamentalists who tore people down.  She was scared to be like them.  So she went into hiding. She took her best friend underground.  She loved Him and loved people, but she was scared.  It wasn't okay to overflow anymore.  Unfortunately, going underground didn't work.  He was still her life.  So she had to shut up and try to cut herself off from her best friend.  It seemed to be the only way to function in this great big world that hated her best friend.

So the little girl grew up.  She grew up with a heart that was turned off because her best friend was in there. She really couldn't get away from Him. She was lonely and confused.  She was empty and had no anchor.  But she was not allowed to turn her heart back on.  He might hurt people's feelings.  He might make waves.  What if people disagreed with Him?  It was a very sad life for this young woman.  You can't turn your heart off entirely, so there was always a faint, nagging glow in her chest.  It always reminded her of her best friend whom she wasn't allowed to speak of.

Now, this young woman wants her best friend to be her life again. She misses her heart too. She isn't quite as afraid of the world. She is stronger, and more desperate.  She remembers the joy and relationship and wants her best friend more than she wants to be quiet.  She doesn't want to hide.  She doesn't want to tiptoe.  She doesn't want to live out of fear.  She is learning who she is, and she is learning that it is okay that she is intricately woven into relationship with her best friend.

She is coming out of hiding.  Because she misses Him.  Let me introduce you to my best friend, Jesus.