The abundance of short, simple devotionals can be hard to sort through. Finding time each day to study the Bible can be tough, so we’ve compiled some good Bible verses to reflect on through verse reflections like this from Christian writers. Join us in learning about why the Bible matters and how God can speak to us through it.

Having Non-Christian Friends Can Make Conversations Tricky

Do you ever feel the tension of having non-Christian friends and wanting them to know Jesus?

A lot of our closest friends care about being a good person, but things kind of end there. That’s enough for them—just be a good person, and you’re all set. 

Navigating this space with non-Christian friends can be tricky, but it’s also a great opportunity to share your faith in a way that honors what you believe, and your friend. 

In this devo, Q shares a surprising part of Scripture that offered her some wisdom in navigating this conversation with a friend. Check it out below!

Exodus 20:25

“If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool on it.”

Written by Q. Jackson

“I don’t need the ‘Christian’ label. It’s enough to just be a good person.”

I’d heard this sentiment before, but coming from a coworker I’d spent years building a friendship with, it threw me for a loop.

After all, the line between “being a good person” and “being a good Christian” can be blurry—there’s overlap in how it looks.

A seemingly random piece of Scripture I read recently has helped me process this.

In Exodus 20:25, God instructs Israel to NOT use “dressed” (or cut/shaped) stones for any altars they built him. Weird, right? I learned that some scholars believe this command is there because God wanted to establish a distinction between how his people (Israel) built altars for him, and how the people of the land (the Canaanites) built altars for false gods.

Both people were building altars. Both people were even using the same material (stone). But I was struck by this difference: Israel’s guidance for building wasn’t based on best practices of the day—it came straight from God.

Similarly, my friend was right that Christians’ attempting to live good, God-honoring lives often looks eerily similar to a non-Christian’s attempt to “just be a good person.” But there’s a distinction.

Why It Matters

Instead of looking to the cultural “best practices” of the day to decide what’s good, we go to the source—God himself. We also recognize the many factors we can’t account for—hidden needs of the person before us, future circumstances, timing, etc.

To actually “just be a good person,” we need to be listening for God’s good direction. That’s what makes “good” different for a Christian: God’s the one defining it and teaching us to walk in it. 

Do you ever need some good Bible verses to reflect on? We’ve pulled together a few of our favorite short, simple devotions to help you better connect with God in the everyday moments. See this link to check them out!