“Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse.”
— Proverbs 2:12
You and your neighbor may have been best friends since kindergarten, but lately something has changed. Your neighbor has begun lying to her parents about where she goes after school. She also seems to enjoy stirring up trouble in your group of friends by spreading rumors and making people mad at each other. These days, you’re also embarrassed by your friend’s filthy language. The last straw comes when you get detention one day. Your friend breaks a rule at school, and because you happen to be with her, the teacher assumes you’re guilty too. Your friend doesn’t mind detention — in fact, she seems proud of it. You hate it, though.
You need to make a choice soon. Your reputation at school has been damaged, and your feelings have been hurt by the gossip. Frankly, you’re tired of having her for a friend. She’s changed too much. Even though your neighbor’s been a good friend for years, she isn’t the kind of friend God would choose for you now. She enjoys breaking rules and proclaims it to everyone. You may have to make a very difficult decision: not to hang with her anymore. Use wisdom and find friends whose values more closely match yours.
More to Explore: Proverbs 4:14 – 16 and 2 Corinthians 6:17
Girl Talk: How do you choose your friends? To you, what are the qualities of a good friend?
God Talk: “Lord, I want to make wise choices about friends. Bring friends you choose into my life. Thank you for keeping me safe when I follow you. Amen.”
From Chick Chat by Kristi Holl