We all have those people in life that just drive us crazy. For one reason or another, we just really don’t want to be around them. Maybe it’s because they’re rude, or self-centered, or gossips, etc.; I don’t know. But the question is, how do we deal with people like that? More importantly, how does God want us to deal with people like that?
More than a few times, my mom and I have had someone cut in front of us without any warning while we are driving, or have someone cut the line in front of us at a busy restaurant. It’s extremely annoying, and we often say, “Don’t they know about common courtesy?” Of course, it un-Biblical of us to judge others like that, but every so often we somehow end up doing it anyway. Has anything like that ever happened to you? It can be extremely frustrating, and you may think, “Well, I would never do something like that!” Think again. Though you may not skip lines or cut in front of oncoming traffic (which may not be an issue if you don’t drive), there are plenty of other things that are considered common courtesy that we overlook everyday.
Remember being a kid? Sharing everything with Mommy and Daddy, having fun with them, and not embarrassed to hold their hands in public. So, what happens when we become teenagers? Why is it that we’ve started talking back to our parents and begun to be embarrassed to even be around them when there are other people around?
1. Peer pressure. What would you do if your friends started making fun of your relationship with your parents? You may try to defend yourself for a while, but before long, you’ll begin to think like they do. You’ll wonder, “Why do I spend so much time with my parents? They’re so weird. I should spend more time with my friends.” In today’s culture, many teens think that, so it’s not difficult to be drawn into the same line of thoughts.
2. Media. Everything we see around us, from movies to books to magazines to things you watch on TV–many of them can give you the impression that being rude to our parents is a cool thing to do. We need to understand that it’s not.
These are just a couple examples. I encourage you to examine your life and find out what things you’re participating in or seeing/hearing that can cause you to create a gap between your parents.
The bottom line is that despite what the world says, God wants us to have a loving, strong relationship with our parents. “Honor thy father and mother” goes far beyond simply doing what you’re told.
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Friends are an important part in our lives. They can give support; they can make you laugh; they can cheer you up when you’re feeling blue; they’ll listen when you’re talkative; they’ll care for you even when you make mistakes.
Sounds great, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, there isn’t any perfect friend (unless you lived 2000 years ago and hung out with Jesus). We all have our imperfections, but nevertheless, friends are a valuable aspect of our lives. However, sometimes we undermine the importance of friendship. And sometimes, like in other cases, we don’t appreciate them until they’re gone. Friends are something to love, appreciate, and cherish.
How many times have we snapped at or made fun of our friends? How often have we let a bully tease them while we stood by and watched, or even joined in? How many times have you clearly, without words, said, “You don’t mean anything to me. I don’t care about you. You’re not an important part of my life. I could easily live without you.” It’s not hard for your friends to see what you’re communicating, even if you aren’t doing it verbally.
Maybe, though, it’s the other way around. Perhaps an old friend has been ignoring you, or has been rude, or anything of the things listed above. It’s tough, dealing with that. When that situation comes, you need to ask God to help you deal with the problem. Then you need to confront your “friend”. You just need to tell that you don’t appreciate being ignore/being made fun of/etc., and you want them to stop. If they don’t, they aren’t the kind of people you should associate with anyway.
If you’re having problem making friends, be brave! Sometimes, you just need to say “hi” and start a conversation. Maybe you’ll discover you have a common interest, like drawing or playing football.
We need to realize that friends are a true gift from God; we need to treat them as such. Take the time to let your friends know they’re important to you. A simple “thanks for being my friend” or “you’re the best friend ever!” will make them feel happy to be your friend.
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The Purpose Of Being A Teenager
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