I wonder how big God's smile was when He decided to create friends.

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I wonder if we realize how empty the world would be without them.

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There would be no glancing at someone across the room and bursting into laughter at an inside joke. . .
. . . no mad dashes through Target in the middle of the night looking for a certain kind of candy
. . . no sitting out in the yard in pjs till all hours of the night, whispering in the rain and trying to laugh uproariously without waking up the entire neighborhood
. . . no bursting into the same song at the same time
. . . no long discussions about things that matter
. . . no wandering through K-Mart with tears streaming down your cheeks
. . . no tense rook games that last till three in the morning
. . . no playing imaginary games with imaginary friends and a few real ones
. . . no random photo shoots
. . . no staying up crazy late hashing life
. . . no sneaking through Ley trying to find the perfect orange bowl
. . . no disc golf, no volleyball, no singing programs

There would be no one to borrow gum and chapstick and any other random thing from. . .
. . . no one to make you smile when all you've been able to do all day is cry
. . . no one to share your umbrella
. . . no one to sing with, to laugh with, to talk to
. . . no one to tell you you look fabulous when your hair's a wreck
. . . no one to walk with in the rain
. . . no one to encourage you and no one to encourage
. . . no one to show you what Jesus looks like in person
. . . no one to give you strength when you're weak
. . . no one to relight your candle

Friends fill all those little cracks in our hearts that can't be reached with gifts or words or even beauty. They make us laugh when we're sad. They pick us up when we fall, and if that doesn't work, they kneel down beside us until we can find the strength to stand back up. They walk beside us no matter the road we tread, be it rough or smooth.

Yes, God must've smiled when He made friends. He gives us little pieces of Himself through our friends, and in doing so He provides a way for us to draw even closer to Him. Don't take the people He's given you for granted; they're not in your life by accident. And neither are you in someone else's life by accident.

Be the friend God has in mind for you to be. Show Him to the people around you, whether that means making them laugh or crying with them or just offering a smile when the world is dark.

Life wasn't meant to be lived alone, and friends are one of the best reminders of that. God's love is most often shown through His people. So burn bright, and when your candle is flickering, go back to the Source. His light will never fail you.