Hey, Carpool Crew. It's Pastor Justin, and I'm so glad you joined me for this special episode of Carpooling With Jesus. Today's episode is part of our What Should I Do If series, where we talk about real situations that you might face at school, at camp, at a co-op, at church, or in your neighborhood with your friends. Today, we're talking about what should I do if a friend showed me something I can't unsee? So here's the moment. You're hanging out with your friends at a lunch table or at a co-op or at church, wherever you are, and a kid says, "Hey, watch this," and turns the phone around. You didn't ask for it, and you weren't looking for it, but now you've seen it. Maybe it was scary. Maybe it was gross. Maybe it was something that you knew right away you weren't supposed to be looking at. The phone goes back in their pocket. Everyone laughs and moves on, but you don't. It shows up again at dinner. It shows up when you turn the lights off. Your brain keeps pulling it back up, and you can't make it stop. Now, if that's ever happened to you, I want you to hear this clearly. You are not in trouble for something you didn't choose to see. Somebody put it in front of you. It all happened really fast. Now, I'm not gonna tell you it's no big deal. It is a big deal. Some things you see stay with you. That is real, and it's not your fault. Now, here's what most kids do. They keep it a secret because telling somebody means admitting you saw it, and you're scared that you'll get in trouble or your friend will get in trouble, or your parents will take your phone if you have one because they don't want you to do it again or do it to someone else. Or they'll think you went looking for it. So you carry this secret by yourself, and the longer you carry it, the heavier it gets. Here's the answer, Carpool Crew. Don't carry it alone. Tell a parent. Listen to this from Psalm 34:4-5, "I sought the Lord, and He answered me, and rescued me from all my fears. Those who look at Him are radiant with joy, their faces will never be ashamed." David wrote this and looked at what he did with his fear. He didn't keep it inside. He sought the Lord. That means he went to God with it, and God answered him. Now, look at the last word, ashamed. That's the feeling, right? When you've seen something you wish you hadn't, you feel embarrassed about it. You don't want anyone to know. And this verse says the people who look to God will never be ashamed. Going to God with the thing you're carrying is not a way to get in trouble. It's a way to get out of hiding. And God gives you people, your mom, your dad, a grandparent, a teacher, or a leader at your church you trust. Telling them is part of looking to God. He put them in your life for moments exactly like this. So here's what you can do. Go tell a grown-up today. One of your parents is the best place to start. And if you don't know how to begin, use my words. Say, "Hey, can I tell you something? I saw something today, and I can't stop thinking about it." Now, that's enough to get the conversation started. And make sure you tell the whole truth about what happened. Maybe you looked away. Maybe you watched the entire thing. Maybe you looked at it probably longer than you needed to. Just say that. Maybe you laughed because everyone else did, and you didn't know what to do. It's okay. A parent who hears the whole true story can help you best. Now, here's one more thing. Because some of you listening, you were the kid holding the phone. Maybe you showed somebody something that you shouldn't have. Maybe you have something on your phone right now that you know isn't okay. You can tell the truth about it. Say to your parent, "Hey, I have something on my phone that I probably shouldn't," or, "I was looking for something and saw something that I didn't expect." You can tell them the truth, and your parents will help you. And parents, a quick one for you. If your kid comes to you and says they saw something, your first reaction matters more than anything. It matters more than anything you say after that first reaction. So before you ask what it was or where it came from, just try this: "You're not in trouble. I'm really glad you told me. Let's figure this out together." That's what I hope my response is as a parent, and I think it's an easy one for all of us to try. Carpool Crew, quick recap. If a friend shows you something that you can't unsee, tell a parent about it, and tell the whole truth, and they will help you. Now, here's the one thing that I want you to remember for the ride. Don't carry it alone. Tell a parent. Remember, no matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. You are not alone. I hope this episode leads to some great discussion. Have a great day, Carpool Crew, and we'll see you later on a new episode of Carpooling with Jesus.
