Hey, Carpool Crew. Welcome back to Carpooling with Jesus. Now, maybe you're headed to breakfast or wrapping up some homeschool. I'm glad you're here. So, you know when that friend comes and says, "Hey, come on," or, "Hey, let's go there," or, "Let's do something," it is a good friend, it's a real friend, but your stomach drops because you know you're not supposed to go there, you're not supposed to use those words, or you're not supposed to be playing that game? Yeah, we've all been there. So, what do you do? Well, I wanna jump in with the one thing I want you to remember for the ride. You can say no to a friend. Listen to this from Proverbs 1:10, "My son, if sinners entice you, don't be persuaded." Here's what's going on, friends. Proverbs is a dad teaching his son how to live, and one of the first things he says, this is Proverbs 1 remember, is this, "If people try to talk you into doing something wrong, don't go along with it." Look at the word entice. It doesn't mean force. It means make it sound good. See, no one in that verse is yelling. Somebody is saying, "Hey, come on. It'll be fun. Everybody's doing it." That's a lot harder to say no to than somebody being mean. And notice who it is. It's not a stranger. It's somebody close enough to talk you into it, which means the hardest no you might ever give is saying no to somebody you actually like, someone you actually consider a friend. Now, here's what happens. They come to you and they say, "Hey, let's do it. Everybody's doing it. Let's go here," or, "Try this new game I got." But you know you're not supposed to go there, or you're not supposed to play that game, but you don't know exactly what to say. You don't want them to think you're scared. So, what do you do? Well, it is time to say no. See, you're allowed to say no. Saying no to the thing isn't saying no to the friend. It's not saying no to the friendship. A real friend is still your friend after you say no. Maybe it's sneaking in somewhere, maybe it's leaving somebody out. Maybe it's a game that you're not allowed to play or a place that you're just not supposed to go, or saying something about someone else that you know isn't kind. I know being in a situation like this, it can be hard saying no, but it's easy to say no if you know how to say it. It's something you can practice with your parents. Saying no isn't a big deal. You're not saying no to the friendship. You're saying no to that thing that you know you shouldn't do. Let's go back to the one thing I wanted you to remember for the ride. You can say no to a friend. Remember, no matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. And parents, if you've been enjoying this podcast, go over to carpoolingwithjesus.com. You can order free stickers, you can schedule a shout-out, and you can see a bunch of other great stuff there on the website. I hope you check it out. Now, before you go, let's answer this question together. The next time you're in a situation like this, how are you gonna say no when you know you should? I'll see you tomorrow on Carpooling with Jesus.
