A few years ago, a member of the church I attend introduced me to a young woman who needed somewhere to stay in the city where I live. She had started to come to the church a few weeks before our introduction. I took her into my home because I had the space to assist her.
Initially, I didn't want us to become friends because she was much younger than me and was also paying me for boarding. So, I tried to avoid a friendly relationship with her. But she was an intelligent young woman. So, we got to talking, and a friendship developed. We would sit at the dining kitchen table, share our testimonies, and talk about life as a Christian. She would question me about my personal life, and I shared some of it with her. She would compliment and make me feel good about myself, but she was very cautious about speaking about herself. She would say she was private, and I would just let it go. We even went shopping together.
COVID-19 came, and we spent a little more time together because I worked from home. The church had closed for a while, and we were streaming the services together.
One day, I had an idea to have a prayer meeting at the church on Friday evenings. At that time, the government had allowed us to simultaneously have ten or twelve people in church. She agreed, and we invited a few ladies from the church we knew would be interested. With the Pastor's permission, we started the prayer meeting.
The ladies came as promised, and we discussed our struggles as Christians and some personal issues and prayed for each other. Then I noticed her giving me an 'evil eye,' a look of envy or resentment, and I wondered why that sudden look. I don't know if it was jealousy because, at every meeting, the girls would say how much they admired me as a Christian and how they appreciated me having this meeting; because of it, they're getting closer to God, and God has been answering their prayers.
Though she drove with me to the meetings, she would hardly talk in the car. When we got there, she would separate herself from me and go to the door to wait for the lady's arrival, flaunting them with greetings. Her actions hurt me because I didn't see the need for that sudden display. We were a team praying together for God to answer our prayers.
Eventually, she separated herself from me and attacked me for not making her welcome in my home and saying things about me that I never thought she would have said. I knew then I had an enemy. I tried to remain in the right atmosphere as an older Christian by God's grace to avoid any negative reaction.
She was still living in my apartment, and I often was tempted to tell her to leave, but I didn't feel it was right. But God, who doesn't give you more than you can bear, made a way. The owner sold the apartment unit, and we both had to move. Good riddance!
I had taken it for granted that I had a friend, but I had a frenemy disguised herself in sheep's clothing. But God was faithful, and as a child of God, I had to adhere to His Word, Luke 6:27-28 (NKJV) 27 'But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.'
Later, she needed me to assist her in other areas of her life, and I thank God I adhere to His Word.