True Friend or Gossip?
A Character Quiz by Katrina L. Cassel
True friends watch what they say. Are you careful with your words? Are you a true friend or a gossip? Take the quiz below to find out.
1. You overhear your friend Marissa telling another girl that her parents might get a divorce. You:
a. Tell Marissa you overheard and ask her if there is anything you can do for her.
b. Tell another friend what you overheard so that you can plan together how to help Marissa.
c. Ask around to see who else has heard about Marissa’s family.
2. During a social studies test you glance at John. You see him copying answers off the test of the student in front of him. You:
a. Tell John you saw him copying and offer to go with him to tell the teacher.
b. Tell your best friend so you and she can go tell the teacher together.
c. Tell the student he was copying from and warn other students that John might copy from them.
3. You see your friend Kayla talking to a rich new student. You wave, but they both ignore you. You:
a. Approach them and say “hi.” They might have been so busy talking that they didn’t see you wave.
b. Find another friend and tell her how Kayla ignored you.
c. Tell your friends that Kayla is probably hanging around the new girl because her family is rich.
4. You hear rumors that your friend Michael was smoking with some other guys. You:
a. Confront Michael and ask him if it is true. Offer to go with him to talk to an adult about the problem.
b. Share your concern with your other friend so that you can talk to Michael together.
c. Ask your church friends to pray that Michael doesn’t develop a smoking habit.
5. Your math teacher hands back a test. You see Brittany crumple hers up and run into the bathroom in tears. You:
a. Ask Brittany if she’d like to do math together after school every day.
b. Tell Brittany’s sister about it so she can tell their mother.
c. Tell your friends at lunch that you are glad it wasn’t you that flunked the test.
Rate yourself:
Mostly A’s: You are a true friend! Confronting another person isn’t always easy. Especially if you need to talk to the person about something like cheating or smoking. It might seem easier to talk to someone else about it, but talking to that person first is the right thing to do.
Mostly B’s: Sometimes we like to share things with our best friends. But if it’s something about someone else, we need to ask that person first. And it’s really important to find out if it’s true before passing it on.
Mostly C’s: Sharing someone else’s news without her permission is gossip—even when you do it as a prayer request. You might be passing on a story that isn’t even true. Always talk to the person and get the right scoop. Then ask for permission before telling anyone else.
Important: If you feel a friend is doing something that is dangerous to her health or safety, tell a parent, school counselor, or teacher right away. That is not gossip.
© 2006 Katrina Cassel
Katrina Cassel, M.Ed., is the author of several books and lives with her husband, five of their children, and an assortment of pets in the Florida panhandle.