Be Real, Be There

Have you ever met one of those people you just know is not legit? Golly, they really get on my nerves. The thing is I know a whole lot of these types of people. And you know what? They get away with it. For some reason, no one seems to notice how shallow this person can really be.

Story time, ya'all. Sit down criss-cross applesauce and enjoy. I had this amazing friend (let's call her Sandra.) Sandra was a Christian, but a little misguided at times. Sandra had this friend who was also an aquaintance of mine (we'll call her Joy). Joy was the poster Christian child, or so it seemed. Sandra and I were super close, like best friends in the world. Sandra and Joy were supposedly pretty close as well. And then, my family moved. Sandra and I stayed in contact for quite some time. Still best friends, but a time came when I just kind of stopped hearing from Sandra. I didn't think much of it at first because we both had our lives and we were both moving on. Finally, one day, I called Sandra. I asked her what was going on. She said she was insanely glad I called. Turns out, Sandra had gone through some serious depression issues. She had gotten pregnant (with someone other than her boyfriend's child), then misscarried, and attempted suicide multiple times. She'd said she'd been better since then and was glad that I was back in her life. I asked about Joy. Surely, if anyone would have been able to help Sandra though that horrible time in her life, little miss goody-two-shoes, Joy, would be there. Sandra said that she had tried to talk to Joy, but Joy had completely deserted her. Just stopped talking to her. Needless to say, Sandra and Joy don't speak too much anymore.

How can one call themself a friend if they're not going to be there when you need them most? Psalm 55:12-14 says, "If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were raising himself against me, I could hide from him. But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend, with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship as we walked with the throng at the house of God." Sandra understood the people she didn't know judging her and talking about her behind her back, but when Joy became one of those people, she was hurt.

Sandra and Joy both came back into my life. Sandra is still a bit misguided, but totally real and is upfront with everyone. Joy still seems to be poster Christian child, but messes with people's heads and emotions and causes drama like no other. People like Joy are all talk and no action. There is no real substance to their faith. Now, maybe I'm completely off here, but I think Joy could stand to reread a few of these verses:
"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven." -Matthew 6:1.
"You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." -Matthew 7:5.
"Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses." -Proverbs 27:5-6 (yes, I used it in my post "Don't Find Time, Make It.")
"He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and knashing of teeth." -Matthew 24:51. Yikes, I think I'd prefer being real.

Anyways, I'm not really sure why I wanted to share this. Just another thing that's been on my mind lately. Hope you all realize the benefits of being real and stick with your pals when they need it.