Maya’s mother came into the room with a look of concern on her face. “What happened, Maya?”

“I don’t ever want to see Kylie again!” Maya said, throwing her books onto the couch and taking off her jacket.

Her mother tried to calm her. “Maya! You shouldn’t say things like that! You don’t really mean it. Now tell me what happened to make you so upset.”

Maya paced the length of the living room and stormed, “Kylie and I have been best friends all year. Last week we got a new girl in our class. Ever since then, Kylie has done everything with her. She hasn’t even talked to me. And today when I asked her to come over she just said she was going to Sienna’s house. Sienna was standing right there but they both turned away and left. It was obvious they never thought about including me. Mom, it’s just not fair!”

Maya wiped a hand across her eyes impatiently as her mother said, “Sit down, Honey. I want to show you something.” She reached for her Bible and sat down on the couch. After a moment Maya joined her. Her mother went on, “I know that what you are going through is very hard to understand. But did you know that you have a Friend who loves you and is a better Friend than Kylie ever could be?”

“You mean Jesus?” said Maya, looking at the Bible.

“That’s right. Jesus is a Friend who will never leave you. One of the Proverbs says, ‘There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.’ That Friend is Jesus Christ. Do you know how much Jesus loves you?”

“Well, I guess a lot.”

“Here. Look up John 15:13 and read it to me.”

Maya took the Bible from her mother. She hesitated a moment and then flipped through the pages until she found the Scripture. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Maya looked thoughtfully at her mother. “Jesus laid down His life for me, didn’t He? I don’t know of any other friend who’d do that. He must really love me.”

“That’s right, Maya. There is no greater love than Jesus’ love for you. He truly cares about your problems and the things that matter to you. Sometimes it might seem as though you’re just one among many, so how could Jesus really know your needs and your thoughts and care about them? But He does! The Bible tells us that He even knows the number of hairs on your head!”

Maya grinned. “I’ll bet Kylie couldn’t even make a guess as to how many hairs I have.”

Her mother smiled in return. “No, I’m sure she couldn’t. And you and Kylie have been friends for a long time and know a lot about each other. Now, Maya, what is one of the things you enjoy about your friends?”

“I like talking things over with them.”

Maya’s mother smiled as she said, “Read the last part of the fifteenth verse.”

“‘I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.’” Maya paused and thought about that for a moment. “This sounds kind of like Jesus has told us everything—just like a friend would.”

“That’s just what it means. And Jesus also helps us with our problems like a friend would,” her mom added.

Maya was really interested now. “Do you think Jesus could solve my problem with Kylie?”

“If you have Jesus in your heart and pray, He will answer your prayer. It might not be in the way you expect, but He will answer! He cares about your unhappiness over Kylie and He has a way to work this out.”

Maya stretched and got slowly to her feet. “I really am thankful I have a friend like Jesus. I want to be sure that I am His friend and stick by His side. Thanks, Mom.”