Stop That Noise

Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 13:1-7

"Bye, Naomi! See you tomorrow," Paige called as she got into her mom's car after school. "And congratulations on getting the lead in the play." As soon as she shut the car door, Paige muttered, "I can't stand that girl! She's such a snob."

"Paige!" exclaimed her mom. "From what I just heard you say, I thought she was a good friend."

Paige's brother Sean spoke up from the back seat. "You just want her to help you with math, don't you? That's why you pretend to like her."

Mom's cell phone rang, and Paige was relieved she didn't have to talk about Naomi anymore. When they got home, Paige heard a horrible clanging noise coming from her older brother's room. "What's that noise?" she asked, covering her ears.

Mom laughed. "Carter borrowed Grandpa's antique dinner gong for his science project on sound."

Paige remembered Grandpa's collection of brass antiques. She liked most of them, but not the gong. Carter will probably be banging that thing all night! she thought.

Paige was right. When her brother banged the gong while she was doing her homework, she called for help. "Mom! Make Carter stop that noise!" she pleaded.

Mom went to Carter's room, and the banging stopped. Then Mom came into Paige's room and sat down. "I don't like that noise any more than you do," said Mom, "but it reminds me of you."

"Me!" exclaimed Paige.

Mom nodded and picked up a Bible from Paige's desk. She opened it to First Corinthians 13. "Listen to this verse. 'If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn't love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.'"

Paige looked at the floor. "Oh."

Mom nodded. "When you talk about Naomi the way you do when she's not around and then act like you're great friends when you see her, the words you speak to her are like that brass gong Carter was clanging--just a lot of noise without any value."

Paige sighed. "So how do I change that?"

"You don't have to be close friends with Naomi, but remember that Jesus loves her just as much as He loves you. Trust Him to help you speak kind words to her out of love instead of selfishness."

-Linda Weddle