A Cup of Friendship

Proverbs 18:24 “There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.” (NLT) 

One of my favorite questions to be asked is, “Can you meet me for coffee?”   My reply, “Yes, as a matter of fact I would love to meet you.”  I have some very dedicated coffee buddies.  We are like coffee drinking/coffee house professionals.  We can sit and sip like no one else.

Over the years I don’t think there’s an emotion that hasn’t been shared.  We’ve talked a blue streak, we’ve laughed until the tears rolled, we’ve cried over the hurts in our lives, we’ve shared our hopes and our fears, we’ve prayed together, we’ve read the Bible together, and the list just keeps going.  I love the comfort and the camaraderie.  I love the hand that covers mine when my heart is breaking; it lets me know I’m not alone.  I love the indignation on my behalf when I’ve been slighted.  I love the accountability when we’ve talked it out and enough is enough; we need to get over it and move on.  I love these ladies and I love every minute of the time we’ve spent together.

I remembered an email that one of my coffee buddies sent me.  Have you ever heard the story of the mayonnaise jar and two cups of coffee?  Let me tell you…

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him.  When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar.  He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.  He then asked the students again if the jar was full.  They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.  Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand.  The students laughed.

"Now,” said the professor as the laughter subsided, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.  The golf balls are the important things, your family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.  The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car.  The sand is everything else, the small stuff.  If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.”

One of the students raised her hand and enquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."