It seems there is a process we go through as we get to know each other. There are a few people in my life that I have known for years, but just recently I have come to know them more intimately. It's funny how that can happen; I suppose that it is the process of moving from acquaintance to friend.
You live your life alongside people and then suddenly realize, "Wow, I didn't know they were like THAT." There is an instinct that makes me want to pull away from them, to put that comfortable distance back in place. I have to make a decision when finding something out about someone that I didn't know. Sometimes it can even be embarrassing, as if there has been a lapse in my discernment.
But, most of the time, I continue the relationship, accepting this new revelation of a facet of their personality. Then, over time, they become like family. You know all their junk; you know their good qualities and bad qualities; their maturity, and the places where God is still working in them. Then, you can become their true friend.
