When a Friend Messes Up.............................by Roy

Page 1 of 2
When one of my best friends started making some bad choices, I knew I had to talk to her. Bekah (not her real name) was a leader in a couple of Christian clubs at our school, someone who'd always taken a strong stand for her faith. So when she went out drinking on that New Year's Eve, I felt, as a friend, that I needed to say something.

When she dropped by my house to return a sweater she'd borrowed, I swallowed hard and spoke up.

"I don't want you to think I'm judging you," I said. "But we promised each other that if we ever started doing stuff like this we'd call each other on it."

"You're right," Bekah said. "But I'm tired of being known as the 'good girl.' I had a lot of fun the other night, and even if it's wrong, it's what I want to do right now."

I went on to tell her that this was about more than just her. It was about her responsibilities as a leader. It was about the mixed messages she was sending. And it was about my concern for a good friend.

Bekah said she appreciated my concern, but she had decided this was how she wanted to live her life for now.

It was one of the hardest conversations I've ever had, but I knew it was the right thing to do.

So, how are we supposed to respond when a Christian friend messes up?