Ask-it Basket

Q. This guy wants me to tell my best friend he wants to go out with her , but he already has a girlfriend. To make matters worse , my friend likes him too. What should I do?

A. What a pickle to be in. On the one hand , you feel like you should pass on the message from this guy to your friend because he asked you to. On the other hand , it sounds like you really don’t want to encourage your friend to associate with him because he’s not totally honest.

Actually , the problem isn’t as hard to deal with as it sounds. You could simply suggest to the guy that he talk to your friend himself. As far as your friend goes , what you say to her depends on your relationship. Some people accept advice from a friend with no fuss-- problem. But others get angry or defensive when a friend tries to warn them. If you tell her you think she shouldn’t get involved with this guy , she might think you’re butting into her personal life. So you have to use your judgment about what and how you tell her.

Whenever we see a friend who is headed for trouble , we should always pray for them. And remember , a true friend won’t resent the caring concern of a friend who simply tries to help. The important thing is that whatever you do or say , do it with love and tact.