When I received an invitation to my twentieth high school reunion several months ago, I admit I was intimidated. It is not that I didn’t want to spend time with my dearest high school friends. We were at one time inseparable and had kept in touch at least remotely, so the idea of seeing them was certainly appealing. Part of me, however, simply wasn’t sure I should reunite in any way with my former life. While I have always had a love for God, I only have to take a quick survey of my actions in high school to realize that He was not my priority at that time. And should I dwell on my high school memories too long, I would certainly have to shake my head in shame. So on some level, putting myself in an old familiar environment–one that I had by the grace of God moved on from–seemed somewhat counterproductive to my spiritual life. Of course, after actually attending my reunion this past weekend, I now realize the opportunity reunions offer to deepen and renew one’s commitment to Christ.
Admittedly, my renewal would not have been obvious to anyone watching. Seeing and spending time with old friends created an initial regression to times past that led, frankly, to a whole lot of silliness on my part. My friends and I conjured up our former token phrases, shared high school stories, and danced for the better part of the night (Electric Slide, anyone?). But beneath the surface, I was all too aware of and thankful for the opportunities God set before me for renewal. I was introduced to new people–people of substance and values who I had never gotten to know the first go around in high school. People, who by my own spiritual blindness, I had perhaps never given a chance. People I can now call friends. It also allowed me moments to correct wrongs. For those I wished I had been kinder to, I now was. Even when my moments of regression offered moments of temptation, I now had Christ to cling to and say “No, thank you.” In essence, by the end of the weekend, I felt that I had faced my demons and, with Christ at my side, had won.
There will be people who sneer at the idea of reunions as useless and those that embrace them in hopes of returning to a better time. For me, though, reunions provide the quintessential paradox for Christians: They allow us to return to our former selves so that we can affirm and renew who we are in Christ. And because of that, I will look forward to the next one.
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