Jesus Is Our Friend part 2 - Some Pitfalls to Avoid With Human Friends; Trust Jesus to Help, NOt Self

  Last week we saw what it means for Jesus to be our friend. I’ll change names to protect the innocent, but I wanted to use an example from my life to show God’s power and a few traps we fall into when we try things ourselves and don’t ask God for help.

I was in 11th grade(16). Our speech team coach asked me to help a 10th grader, I’ll call him P, on the team and asked me to include P in stuff with my friends. It didn’t raise red flags like it would to you – or like it would to me now since I know about troubled kids. I don’t always get nonverbal cues. Our coach didn’t say what was wrong, but teachers in those spots usually only get told “P could have trouble if not paired with a good, stable kid.” I wasn’t even verbal enough to ask for help – our friend Bob especially would have snidely said, “We’re not in Kindergarten, Doug. There must be something wrong if he told you that.”

I didn’t know Jesus personally that I recall till I was 19. So, I didn’t ask God to help. Yet, despite bad things P talked about, P became a loving, gentle, compassionate man. P trusted Jesus to save him in his early 20s(P said he was a Christian before, but had no fruit). P changed totally from how he was through around age 25. P credits Bob and especially me with being good examples in how we acted. P eventually tried to use me as a model for helping others. And, P might have planned to after the first few years. P was really sarcastic then but never is now. I never could read that. Maybe P improved faster than I thought.

The point is, God used us, even though I didn’t know what I was doing. When we don’t know what to do, we need to seek God’s help. The Holy Spirit gives wisdom since God knows it all and wants to show us how to help. Once I got saved, I prayed for wisdom in a few areas. But, I hung around P - who went to a different college – longer than I should have. The wisest thing would have been, after I tried the Matthew 18 principle, to distance myself. That doesn’t mean no contact. P just needed to see consequences. For instance, P told real raunchy jokes and cursed. I never did those, and tried to tell him why he shouldn’t, like thinking about others. But, he didn’t stop doing those things till I stopped being around him when he was like that. We still talked on the phone t times, and this was when he really started to improve. Without revealing too much, one big turning point came when P admitted to me he didn’t have the patience he knew he needed to help others. God gave it to him, though.

Online or in class, you’ll meet kids at school who need help; some a little, some a lot. We don’t know each situation, but God does. He’ll give you wisdom to help them. Some have been hurt badly like P. All need our love as we represent Jesus. We might be the only example of Jesus they’ll ever see. An online friend, Paul, is like that. He trusted Jesus some years ago. Bob still hasn’t to my knowledge. He was nice through high school, but got mean enough partway through college (different one from P or I… that is, me😊) from being bullied & once robbed at gunpoint. He may have hung around P and acted even more like P thinking P understood him better since I was always so nice. But, P wasn’t yet a Godly friend who could help. P realized Bob was different and was dragging P down after a while and stopped.

As you talk with other kids & share Jesus’ love, find their needs. Some may not realize there’s a God who cares and just hang around the ungodly because they feel more accepted. Some (like Paul) have had bad experiences with those who say they’re godly but aren’t. Find verses you can share to show what Jesus says about such people. And, be willing to trust your family and especially God for help. Sal and I are available, too. Thetruthmatters1@gmail.com is there if you don’t call. Jesus is your friend. Make much of Him, and He’ll make much of you.

Dear Parent(s),