Two of my friends are growing apart and are talking badly about each other to me. What should I do? Should I even be involved?

That is a difficult question and situation, isn’t it? But, I have an answer for you! We have been studying about love these past few weeks and the Bible verse we’ve been looking at is 1 Corinthians 13:1-7. I want you to look at verse 5, in particular, which states, “It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs.”

If you truly care about these two friends, think about the words, “It is not rude.” Hmmm…I wonder what that means? Do you know? Well, here’s what it means: it means you shouldn’t listen to gossip. You should love your two friends and tell them that they need to talk to each other, not you. REMEMBER, do this with kindness and gentleness!!! Verse 1 says that, “Love is patient, love is kind.”

Your friends are trying to make you pick one of them over the other so that they can boast to the other that you are on their side. Yikes!!! You don’t want to be in that situation!

Here’s what I’d do: tell each of your friends that you love them both but that they need to talk to each other. Tell them that you’re gonna pray for both of them and hope that God helps them become friends again.

To answer your second question, unfortunately, because they are both coming to you and gossiping about the other…you are already involved. It’s kinda hard to put the toothpaste back in the tube once it’s been squeezed out! BUT, you can tell them that you are not choosing sides and you really don’t want to talk badly about one of them behind their back.

If they say, “Yeah? Well, this person is really stupid so I’m not going to be their friend anymore!” You should say, “Well, have you talked to them about this? I mean really talked to them?” Then tell your friends it makes you sad to see them fighting. Encourage them to talk to each other.

Now, having said all that, I want you to be prepared for the fact that they may not ever be friends again (which I pray doesn’t happen) but I also want you to realize it’s not going to be because of anything you did or did not do. Please don’t put that kind of pressure on yourself, okay?