This Week's Message

FAKE FRIENDS

Not every person who shows up in your life is meant to stay in your inner circle. This week in It’s Complicated, we talked about fake friends—how to recognize unhealthy patterns, respond with wisdom, and know who should have access to the closest parts of our lives. Jesus loved everyone, but He didn’t entrust Himself to everyone.

Fake friendship can look like transactional affection, guilt used to control, competition instead of celebration, vulnerability that isn’t protected, and repeated patterns without responsibility.

But the answer isn’t bitterness—it’s clarity. Jesus gives us a model for putting people in the right circle: the boundary of protection, the circle of ministry, the circle of influence, and the circle of intimacy. Not everyone gets the same access, and that’s not unloving—it’s wisdom.

You can forgive without restoring the same access. You can love people without ignoring unhealthy patterns. You can change someone’s access without changing your character.

Missed Sunday? Catch the full message.