In high school, I lost my best friend. We used to be neighbors, and we had been friends since we were four or five years old. We grew up together; our families played together. I thought we’d be friends forever.
Then one day, that friend told a private, personal secret to someone. Word got out (as it does in high school), the personal information spread around to everyone we knew, and I was humiliated. But mostly, I felt betrayed. I did not feel that I could trust her again after that, and I had to end the friendship.
At sixteen years old, it was one of the hardest things I had to do. I felt like I had lost part of myself. But in the end, it was healthier to end the friendship. People asked me, Is it true?! Or they would say to me, How could she?! But what I wished for most of all was that someone would stick up for me. I wished that someone would have said, regardless of whether this is true or not, we should not be speaking about her this way.
But alas, HIGH SCHOOL. *biggest eye roll ever*
We have all had situations where someone says the worst about us behind our backs. People share secrets and confidences or they simply lie about us.
Jonathan spoke up for David to his father Saul, and Saul’s heart was moved to compassion (see 1 Samuel 19:4).
We all need those Jonathans in our lives who will speak up for us. We need to be Jonathans to our families, our friends, and even strangers.
Today, I am reminded to speak kindly about others, to avoid gossip, and to speak up to defend others when I need to.
Be someone who will advocate, defend, and protect.
We all need those Jonathans in our lives who will speak up for us. // @Substance_SoulClick to tweet
Try doing a nightly examination of conscience to see how you did or didn't treat others kindly throughout the day so you can try again tomorrow.
Dr. Samantha Aguinaldo-Wetterholm is a wife to Paul, mom to three little ones, and practices dentistry at a public health community center for low income families in the Bay Area, California. She (unashamedly) thinks ice cream is its own food group, does not leave the house without wearing sparkly earrings, and is an enthusiastic proponent of the Oxford comma. She is a contributing author to our children's devotional prayer book called Rise Up. Find out more about her here.
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