“Let each of you look not only to your own welfare, but also to the interests of others.” - - Philippians 2:4
Jenni was so excited about this weekend’s Homecoming Dance – the first big social event of her senior year. As a member of the Student Council, she helped plan every aspect of the week’s festivities – the pep rally, parade, halftime, and of course the Dance.
Trey, her date, was someone special. Her parents adored him; so polite, so mature – a real gentleman. There was a certain spark between them – something she thought might catch fire slowly, like the glow of a warm campfire.
Everything came together perfectly. The Rally must have worked; the football team crushed their cross town rivals, for a change. Now they owned bragging rights for her senior year. Sweet!
Two nights ago she and Dad had the ‘talk.’ “Things can happen,” he cautioned. “You have our complete trust, but you must also trust and honor your self! Temptations you would normally ignore might pull you down an unfamiliar path. Be careful!”
Her moral compass read ‘true north.’ She’d never do anything to deliberately hurt them or give them reason to question whether they had failed in some way as parents.
He tried so hard to be subtle; not to embarrass her. But when he finally just put it on the line – Jenni understood completely. “Don’t drink, don’t drive, don’t drive with anyone who has! As for the ‘other stuff’ – just keep asking yourself if it’d be something you’d be uncomfortable telling me about later. If yes – it’s probably something to avoid, for now.” She loved him for trying – it must have been difficult.
Jenni and her friends left the house around noon. Time to prep for the Dance: manicure, pedicure, hair, makeup. She felt like a celebrity. This would be the BEST day of her life.
They slowed through an intersection. A teenage driver, going way too fast, ran the red light and broadsided the girls, killing all three, instantly. He would later confess that he was texting in conversations with four different friends at the time of the accident. A really bad choice! Lives changed forever that day, including his.
Later than night, Trey rang their doorbell - not to pick up Jenni, but rather to console her parents. A boutonniere was pinned on the lapel of his new suit; a farewell gesture to the lovely girl who was to have been his Homecoming date.
Jesus, how hard it must have been for You to have been betrayed by one of your friends. We do that sometimes too. Help us grow stronger by overcoming bad habits and stopping behaviors that might put others in danger. Amen
