HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS

Lesson Eleven

FRIENDS (4): 

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT FRIENDS (2)

Burden to Impart:

We must choose friends who love the Lord and who behave properly. We should watch their behavior at school and around the neighborhood. If their behavior is not proper, obedient, respectful, and honest we should look for better friends or we will soon find all of our good habits replaced by bad behavior.

Facts to Teach:

1. We must understand that if we want to develop a good character and keep good habits we must have proper friends.
2. We should not deceive ourselves, none of us is that strong. If we keep evil companions we will quickly lose our good habits.
3. We must choose friends that love the Lord and behave as good citizens. In the school environment, choose friends that obey all rules and obey their teachers. AVOID those who fight and cause problems, who talk in the classroom, who horseplay, who say bad words. Be friends with those who raise their hands when they want to ask a question, who study, help others, and turn in their homework. In the neighborhood environment, choose friends who play safely and obey their parents and older persons who are responsible for them. Avoid any kids that lie and deceive their parents, who disregard their parents' limits, instructions, etc. Avoid those children who scheme up plans that will get them into trouble, who fight, provoke, play unfairly, and hurt others.
4. We must stay away from children who misbehave and are always getting into trouble. Otherwise we will eventually behave like them and will get into trouble. Our whole personality will be affected in a negative way, and we will no longer behave like the Lord's children. Eventually, the children who behave properly will not like us or want to be our friends; also, the Lord will be grieved.
5. We are often attracted to someone because the person is likable, funny, strong, or outspoken. We may like this person so much that we overlook the fact that he is really not the kind of friend we ought to have. He may be likable and funny, but he may also be disrespectful to his teacher and parents, or he may like to curse, talk back, argue, cheat, and steal. We must be careful to reject such so-called friends. This is why it is so important to listen to our parents. They can tell if a person is the kind of friend we really ought to have. If we don't listen to our parents we will eventually find out about our evil friend the hard way.