My friends are mean? Is it okay to stop being friends with someone who's mean to me?
Here's the answer:
It depends on the situation.
It’s important to be a good friend. But what do we do when someone is mean to us? Should we still be his or her friend? There are some very important things to keep in mind when we think about this.
Everyone has disagreements with their friends. No one has a good day all the time! Sometimes we’re tired and grouchy and that can make us a bit unkind to others. So we need to stick with our friends, even when they’re having some bad days. We would want them to do the same for us!
However, it’s okay to stop being friends with someone who is mean to you all the time. You shouldn’t be unkind to them, but it might become a more casual friendship. You should only completely break off your friendship with someone as a last resort. Sometimes if we do a good deed for the person who is mean, that will help to change his or her attitude.
But the Bible also tells us not to walk with wicked people: "Blessed is the one who obeys the law of the LORD. He doesn’t follow the advice of evil people. He doesn’t make a habit of doing what sinners do. He doesn’t join those who make fun of the LORD and his law" (Psalm 1:1). This means that we shouldn’t be friends with people who are always getting into trouble or are constantly mean, because those kinds of people can be a bad influence on us.
Jesus does want us to be kind to everyone. We are examples of God’s love, and this is a good way to show them how much God loves them. We don’t have to be close friends with everyone, but we should still treat everyone with love.
Just like clothes come in different sizes, shapes and colors, friends come with different personalities and strengths. Some are more funny or athletic, and others might be more serious and better in school and homework. It’s okay to be very close to some friends while others may be more casual relationships.
Bible Truth
"Dear children, don’t just talk about love. Put your love into action. Then it will truly be love" (1 John 3:18).
"Let your light shine in front of others. Then they will see the good things you do. And they will praise your Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 5:16).
