A Friend



 "Mrs. Potter, I thought you were my friend!" my little five year old buddy said to me after spending time in my office for the third time today.  

"I am your teacher, but I'm also your friend."

"Friends don't text their friends' moms and tell them about their bad behavior."

I chuckled to myself at his wit, but then explained, "Actually friends want you to be the very best you can be and they will do what they need to for that to happen.  Even if it means telling your mom."

He wasn't super happy with my answer but he asked if I would take him back to his class and stay with him while he got his work started.   I took his hand and we headed off.

It can be easy to listen to the world's definition of a good friend.  Yet Elder Robert D Hales taught, "Cultivate good friends who do not try to make you choose between their ways and the Lord’s ways. Be the kind of friend who makes it easier for others to obey the commandments when they are with you."

If I let this little guy do whatever he wanted just so I was his favorite teacher, I wouldn't have been a good friend at all.

A good friend loves but also encourages righteous choices and accountability.

A good friend does not condone sin, even while loving the individual.  

A good friend, might even sometimes text your mom.  But she will also text your mom when you do things right and celebrate every step along the way.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Never Fall Away

Image
  In Alma chapter 23, the sons of Mosiah preached to the Lamanites. The law was declared that the word of God could not be obstructed. Note that the law did NOT say that everyone had to embrace and follow it, but their synagogues and temples and homes should be open to them. And then in verse six, something stuck out to me. Something that applies to our day. “They were converted unto the Lord and never did fall away.” NEVER DID FALL AWAY?? That sounds  like an important need in our day.   My immediate question was HOW?  So I read more closely. Verse 7: “For they became a righteous people; they did lay down the weapons of their rebellion, that they did not fight against God any more, neither against any of their brethren.”  They became a righteous people. They did lay down the weapons of their rebellion. They did not fight against God. They did not fight against their brethren. So what does that mean for us?  BECOME a righteous people.  Be willi
Read more

Trust

Image
  As I was riding a bike down the former train route along the Idaho-Montana border, I had hours to quietly reflect and appreciate the lush mountain landscape extending around me as far as I could see.   I was in a prayerful state, open to the promptings of the Spirit.   At one point I came to the edge of a meadow and needed to sit and rest for a bit.   There I found a lovely rustic bench made from a tree right there in the forest.  And it occurred to me how often the things we need are right there in our lives around us. The people, the resources, our talents and gifts. Psalm 34:8 lovingly promises “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him”. He will provide.   And as we learn to recognize that help, we will become more grateful and happy. 
Read more

Seeing

Image
  Even after a full semester, the young 7th grader, who I will call Anna, didn’t seem to have any friends. She said didn’t mind and felt anxious around people.   I rotated her through groups and she would participate as directed but rarely smiled, although she didn’t seem particularly sad or distraught either.   More of an acceptance that this was her life. She didn’t ever talk back or ask questions but she also didn’t complete assignments quite right.  Her other teachers also said that she didn’t follow directions well.   I was patient.  Building trust.  With her and within our classroom.  This had to be a safe place to share the hard parts. And two months ago she finally told me.  She couldn’t see the board.   As in she couldn’t read it without getting within 6 inches of the board! I immediately emailed our school nurse who gave her a screening.  When I asked Anna she said that the test was fine. But the troubles persisted and finally I reached out to her mom and expla
Read more