Friend or Foe?

Get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech.

1 PETER 2:1

HAVE YOU EVER EXPERIENCED BETRAYAL? Maybe the person didn’t overthrow your rule and steal your kingdom and your betrothed, but instead the betrayal was something smaller. Betrayal is when someone appears to be your friend but then goes behind your back and double-crosses you. It makes for interesting TV, but in real life, discovering your friend is fake is very painful.

It’s important to understand the difference between true friends and fake friends. A true friend is on your side and always wants the best for you. A true friend won’t talk badly about you to others. A fake friend usually is on whatever side works best for him or her at the time and isn’t concerned with what’s best for you. And a fake friend will talk badly about you to others.

What kind of friend are you? God expects us to be true friends to others because he’s a true friend to us. He is loyal, honest, and always there. We can be the same way. But there will be times when someone we thought was a friend will betray us. We can forgive that person, but it’s important to not forget what happened and fall back into the same situation. So be a true friend—and expect your friends to be true to you.

DO

Go outside and find a leaf, flower, or blade of grass. Come back inside and see if you can find an artificial plant or leaf. Compare the two. What’s different? What’s the same? How can you tell the difference? How is this like or unlike the difference between fake friends and true friends?

PRAY

Dear God,

Thank you for being a true friend. Thank you for having my back and wanting the best for me. Please help me forgive the people who haven’t been true friends. Guide me to find true friends and to be a true friend. Amen.

READ

James 3:17; 1 John 2:9