Tears At The School Dance

Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.

“Have fun tonight, honey! I’ll pick you up at nine,” Leah’s mom called out as her daughter opened the car door, hopping down onto the concrete sidewalk.

“Thanks, Mom!” she said. Up ahead, she could see her friends Teresa and Kristina at the entrance to the school. The sixth-grade dance was about to begin.

As the bass music thumped and light glittered from the disco ball hung high in the gymnasium, Leah saw another friend, Stefanie, hurry from the room with tears in her eyes. Leah just wanted to keep dancing and chatting with Teresa and Kristina, but Stefanie needed her. Leaving the gym, she hurried to catch up to find out how she could help.

As she suspected, Stefanie’s tears were over girl drama: a friendship had gone sour. As she hugged and comforted Stefanie, Leah thought how much she was grateful to have friends who never used their words to tear her down.

Sometimes friendships bring us to tears. We can never completely stay clear of pain, but choosing our friends wisely can help cut down on some of life’s drama. When we choose to treat others with the same love and compassion that Jesus has shown us, we become safe friends. Safe friendships are ones in which friends treat each other with kindness and respect. Safe friends don’t talk about us behind our backs; they are honest and trustworthy. Safe friends don’t leave other friends out or try to make us choose one friend over another. Instead, they work to include others and treat everyone with honor. When misunderstandings happen, safe friends believe the best about us, tell us they are sorry, and choose to work through the problem. Safe friends are the ones who comfort us when we feel sad or hurt.

You are unique and smart and beautiful just as you are. A safe friend will see the best in you and encourage you. And she may help you avoid most of the “sixth-grade dance tears in the bathroom.” And, as a safe friend, you can do the same for her.

Things to Think About

• Think about your friends—are they safe or unsafe? Can you confide in your friends, knowing they won’t gossip about you to others? Do your friends speak to you with kindness, or do they cut you down or make you feel bad?
• Are you a safe friend?

DAILY ACT OF FRIENDSHIP

Be a safe friend by encouraging or giving wise advice to your friend.