“Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, rebuke and expose them.”
— Ephesians 5:11 (NLT)
You’re shocked when your best friend admits she stole the semester test from the math teacher’s desk and copied the answers before returning the test. Your friend offers the answers to you for free, although she plans to sell the answers to others in the class. “You can’t do that!” you protest. “You know that’s wrong!” Your friend laughs and says, “You’re such a goody-goody. If you want a lower grade on the test, that’s fine by me!” You desperately wish you’d never discovered her plan. But you do know. So now what should you do with the information?
You’re right in deciding not to participate in the stolen test answers. Followers of Jesus should have no part in such activities, but are called to rebuke a person involved in something wrong. We should also make those actions public. You’re sure your friend will hate you if you tell the teacher, but reporting the scheme seems like the right thing to do. You arrive at school early the next morning and tell the math teacher about your friend’s plan. You wonder if your friend will know you blew the whistle. Maybe — but you feel at peace about your decision.
More to Explore: Romans 13:12 and Proverbs 4:14 – 15
Girl Talk: If you know kids are breaking the rules, is it ever okay to ignore it and walk away? What other things could you do?
God Talk: “Lord, I’m afraid to speak up when I see people doing wrong things. I’m afraid of what they’ll say. Give me courage to say the words. Amen.”
From Chick Chat by Kristi Holl