Bonjour, mes amis! (That’s French for “Hello my friends.” I figured my introductions were getting boring, so I decided to switch it up a bit.) This installment of ATB was inspired by your comments. I’ll be responding to the question “What should we do if our friends ask us to something that is not right? How can we handle it with kindness?”
Whew, that’s tough. I totally get where you’re coming from, though. It’s hard to do what’s right in situations where you feel like you might lose a friend if you do. I’ve never been in a situation where a friend asked me to do something flat out wrong, but I can totally imagine what it’s like. I have to confess, off the top of my head, I can’t think of any Bible verses or stories. Let me go Google it……
Alright, I’m back. To address the first part of the question, if your friend asks you to do something you know isn’t right, say no. It sounds too simple, but that’s really it. James 4:17 says, “Remember, it is a sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.” Now, onto the second part. This one, I do have several Bible verses for. But to start off, I think the best way to say no and handle the situation is to say something like this: “You know, I really don’t think that God would want us to do (insert thing that is not right).” If you can think of a Bible verse, share it with them. The only thing that’s tricky is that people tend to get mad when others tell them what they’re doing is wrong. They may accuse you of thinking that you’re better than them or that you’re a goody two-shoes. They may say that you are not friends anymore and exclude you because you called them out. But take heart! Jesus says in Luke 6:22, “What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man.” Jesus is saying, “Look, not all people are going to like you. Some might even hate you. But when they make fun of you, remember that God sees. Jesus also said, “What I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the housetops. “ (Matthew 10:27) God wants us to tell the truth that we hear in safe places, like church or from your parents or teachers, whenever we can. That includes the times when it’s hard to stand up to your friends. And if after you’ve done that, if they still won’t listen, go tell a adult that can handle the situation. You’re not a tattletale, you’re actually helping your friend. It’s also super important to tell your friend the truth with a big ole’ bucketful of love. No one wants to be told they’re wrong, but it won’t help your cause if you tell them that you’re wrong just to tell them that they’re wrong. You should be telling them that they’re wrong because you love them, and want to help them.
Hope this helps,
Bright Eyes’