Don’t Try To Guess

Now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

In Brooklyn’s class, her teacher lets the students pick their seat each day at tables scattered throughout the classroom. The only rule is that once the kids have chosen their spots, they have to stay there the rest of the day and can’t change again until the following morning.

One day, the friends Brooklyn usually sits with filled a table and Brooklyn was left to sit at another table, by herself. To make matters worse, the three girls sitting together kept looking at her, then turning around, leaning in, and whispering.

Brooklyn began to wonder if they were talking about her. “It didn’t feel good,” she told her mom later. “It felt personal.”

Her mom listened. Once Brooklyn had finished, she asked, “Do you think it was possible the girls weren’t really talking about you?”

“I’m not sure,” Brooklyn said.

Looking back, Brooklyn wished she’d had the boldness to talk to the girls and find out what they were saying. She promised herself that the next time it happened, she wouldn’t try to guess, but would find out for sure before assuming the worst.

Insecurity often rears its ugly head, especially when we find ourselves alone, like Brooklyn did. The enemy loves to lie to us and try to tell us negative things about ourselves, anything to discourage us. But we always have a choice. Scripture tells us that we are to fix our minds on things that are true and lovely and right. When we feel insecure in our friendships, wondering if others are for us or not, we can focus on remembering things about our friends that are true and kind. We deserve to feel confident in our friendships and believe the best of one another.

Things to Think About

• When was a time when you felt alone or insecure? How did you handle it?
• What would happen if you chose to focus on what you know to be true, rather than on what you imagine your friends are thinking and feeling about you?
• What are three characteristics about yourself that are true and lovely?

DAILY ACT OF FRIENDSHIP

When you feel insecure about a friendship, choose to talk with your friend about it.