Free from the Friend-zone!!!

Photo credit : Brainstorm.com

Our world is vast and beautiful, with over thousands of places to see, we are spoilt for choice. It comes as no surprise that travelling is a hobby for many with dozens of travel adventures being the norm on Instagram.  Yet, in almost equal measure, there exist places we shudder to set foot in. They are no-go zones, places that shouldn’t be visited even if it is just down memory lane. One trumps them all, many men attest to that fact. Take a bow, the friend-zone.

Many a man or lady has suffered the ignominy of being banished to the dreaded friend-zone. CNN had it wrong, this is the true hotbed of terror!!!  It is sad that no-one issues a travel advisory against this place.

Unlike a verdict issued by an impartial jury, confinement to the friend-zone catches many by surprise. It is a fate few are willing to accept. Most swear that they don’t deserve to be there. They will examine themselves, weigh the pros and cons(mostly pros) of their personality and wonder how the object of their affection could not see the big, larger than life picture in them.

It beggars belief that someone else, whom you think is wrong in so many ways, is instead lavished with the same affection you so desperately crave. It gets worse. The aforementioned recipients of that love will then go on to yank the heart of your desired lover as you watch helplessly from the friend-zone. They will then crush it to pieces without a care in the world and leave your dream lover high and dry. You would think that such a chastening experience would mark the end of your jail time. You poor thing, astonishingly they will chase after their tormentors in chief, keen to give them a second chance to break their heart once more.  Not to worry though, you also get a second chance, a second chance to gaze at those gloomy walls of the friend-zone, at which point will start to look like your permanent dwelling place. You might as well get a sofa, 'utahama lini?' doesn't apply to you, you are in the friend-zone for the long haul!

How unfair, to be locked up in a place you scarcely deserve. I used to think I had it bad then I realized that Jesus has it worse. He has been friend-zoned big time. The Lord of Lords, Prince of Peace,comforter, present hope, provider, ..the numerous titles and  qualities give Mr Right a new meaning, he is the God perfect . He is the undisputed lover of our souls. He paid everything for the Ruracio by living the sinless life that we could never hope to live. He paid the dowry 3,4, 100,..a billion times over by giving himself on the cross in our stead that we may have life. That's just a rough estimate. You’d think we would show him gratitude and love him back in return, but no, friend-zone.

He is given only a fraction of our affection, while He watches from the friend-zone as we give undeserved affection to our money, careers,  status, sex or anything else we idolize. He has to watch from the sidelines of the friend-zone as we give into the temptations of our evil desires, the world and the devil and see us getting our hearts shattered countless times. He longs to give us lasting gifts, but all we yearn for is temporary moments of pleasure that never provide lasting satisfaction.

Jesus has lavished us with various gifts of grace like health, daily provision, a  career, a loving family, clothes, talents. Do we call him through prayer or walk with him, seeking his will before our own as our way of saying thanks? Do we go with him on a date by ensuring we have daily quiet time devoid of distractions? How much time do we give him anyway? Some deem 1 hour every Sunday as sufficient from the 168 hours of the week, only to spend 35 hours on series, movies and games.

Unfortunately, the King of kings doesn’t get any red carpet treatment. That is reserved for politicians, our bosses, our business partners, our friends, some of who, will to ditch us at the slightest sign of a downturn in our fortunes. Not Jesus, who is with us all the time, even at our worst when we slide into addictions, wickedness and all manner of evil. He never leaves us(Hebrews 13:5) and will patiently wait for us to confess, repent and come to him.

Many men don’t take too kindly to being friend-zoned, I know I haven’t.  I have been guilty of friend-zoning Jesus. I have been guilty of confining him to the sidelines of a prison he scarcely deserves, instead of the throne of my heart. This sorry state of affairs cannot persist . He deserves more. He has earned the right to disrupt my life, my dreams, ambitions because he gave me life in the first place. He deserves my trust because He knows everything (John 21:17), his guidance is more than Google can ever offer.  My heart should no better than to chase after other ‘gods’ that don’t have my best intentions in mind whereas his will,  is perfect, pleasing and good.

Lord, I’m sorry for being blind to the abundant love you have for me. That you gave your life for me should be enough for me to give my life to you. If I were you, I would have friend-zoned me, but yet you keep coming back? In spite of my sins and iniquities, you keep coming back when others would have left long time ago.

I take the keys and open those doors. Out of the friend-zone you go, into my heart and my life you will be, lover of my soul.