We Will Rise

(Originally posted on 9/29/10. Update on 5/11/12.)

"We Will Rise"

We all fall apart
We all do
We all fall apart
But we will rise
We will rise

And I'm coming back together
I'm standing up again
I want you next to me
I need you with me my friend
When we rise

We all fall apart
We all do
We all fall apart
But we will rise
We will rise

And I see the other side of this
It's better than before
I'll carry you my friend
We'll run, we'll walk, we will crawl
And we'll rise

We all fall apart
We all do
We all fall apart
But we will rise
We will rise

This world will not steal our life
This earth won't drain all our strength
I know you're sick, I know you're tired
But I will stare down death with you
And you will rise

We will rise

We all fall apart
We all do
We all fall apart
But we will rise
We will rise

My friend
We will rise together.


What is friendship? What does it mean to be with someone, really be with someone? What are we promising when we say we will stand together? Can we honestly tell someone we will walk beside them no matter what? What if doing so will result in your own reputation getting damaged? What if the choices they are making go against your own moral code?

We throw around statements of commitment so easily when life is good and our friends haven't betrayed our trust in some way, or made huge mistakes.

What kind of friend am I? 

I can't say that I have always stuck around when someone to whom I claim to be connected has stepped outside my comfort space. What would you do if you found out your closest friend was committing some moral "crime"? What if they committed an actual crime? What if you discovered they were in the life draining hold of addiction? Would you claim “tough love” and distance yourself until they are back on their feet again?

We are all broken.

We are all in need of healing.

Over the past few years, I have, with each passing day, been trying to live a better story. Instead of being a character that is good for a few laughs and some decent times, I'm trying to be a person of substance, surrounded by people I love well. I refuse to be quick to let go. With every good thing in me, I am trying to intentionally stay.

No matter what mistakes are made.

The lyrics at the beginning of this post are from a song I am in the process of writing. I began writing it recently after a very long conversation with someone I was considering walking away from. It's devastating to watch someone slowly take their own life because they are completely trapped in the hands of something they no longer control, but controls them. I deal with these things professionally, but I find I have a lot less patience in my personal life than I do in my professional life. I can listen to clients detail their choices in every dark detail and not miss a single beat. I'm not so measured personally. In fact, I sit in judgment far too often. I'm not saying we shouldn't speak into the lives of those we love. Part of friendship is giving a metaphorical kick in the backside when we see a friend messing up their life. We should. But, then we can't just walk away. I'm not talking about staying in unhealthy relationships (That's an entire blog itself).  I'm focusing more on our brothers, sisters...friends.

When someone struggles with cancer or other health problems, we immediately rally to their side. It's easy. Who wouldn't stand up for someone literally staring death in the face? It gets a little less clear when the infliction is seemingly self-imposed. It gives us an exit.

Well, I don't want to make that exit anymore.

Those of us who believe in a grace given to us freely need to remember that gift more often.  I love the following lyrics from the song "Beyond Justice To Mercy," written by Billy Smiley, Paula Carpenter, and Susan Ashton:

I know we don't see eye to eye 

We've let angry hearts flare and the bitter words fly 
The common ground we used to share 
Is harder to find but I believe that it's still there. 

I don't know if now is the time 
To surrender the silence between your heart and mine 
But the love that I've chosen cries out to be spoken 
Leaving the heartache behind. 

Chorus: 
We must reach out beyond justice to mercy 
Going more than halfway to forgive 
And though the distance seems so far 
The love that used to hold our hearts 
Longs to take us beyond justice to mercy. 

It doesn't matter who's to blame 
The love that I have for you is still the same 
A tender voice is calling me 
To that place of compassion where hearts run pure and free 
Where the hunger for vengeance gives way to repentance 
Where love will teach us to see. 

We can reach out beyond justice to mercy 
Going more than halfway to forgive 
And though the distance seems so far 
The love that used to hold our hearts 
Longs to take us beyond justice to mercy. 

Then, in the song "We Are Not As Strong As We Think We Are," Rich Mullins offers this thought:

Well, it took the hand of God Almighty 
To part the waters of the sea 
But it only took one little lie 
To separate you and me 
Oh, we are not as strong as we think we are

Arrogance isn't really strength.  It is simply insecurity dressed up in loud costumes.  Individuality doesn't require that you stand alone, never asking for help.  And justice doesn't have to mean there are no more chances.

I want to wrap every ounce of mercy that I have around those with whom I travel this life. I want to release any strength I possess to those who are powerless. I want to give my companionship to those who suffer alone (even when they are surrounded by many).

And when the fallen one gets back up, I want to rise with my friend. I want us to tell the story together, a little messier, but stronger than we were before. We will not be weighted by shame, but lifted by lessons well learned and scars fully earned.

No matter how broken, mistaken, abandoned, or wrong we might have been, it is never too late to begin again.

We will rise. We will rise.

-Matt