Not nice advice!

For you Steve, I’m concerned,

you are like a brother,

& I think I have learned

what will help “un-smother”.

I am not claiming to
have this "a word from God",
though I think that it's true,
(would not else say't to you)

Like the Apostle Paul
said "Judge if I have God's
Spirit in life through all
my choices (shakes & nods)”:

I think the writing’s clear,
as I said plain to you,
in your desire to steer
good friendships, they are ruined.

I understand the fear
that you will be pre-judged,
but that's a dang'rous spear
and kills what won't be budged...

This reminds me of some

scriptural wisdom (issue),

& partly why has come

what I suggested to you:

Setting a rule in place

yourself to not talk to

that one who asked for space

though you may feel quite blue.

And not to talk ‘bout them;

your friend, or your own lack

of understanding when

it is "behind their back".

Choosing to still be then

a true friend wanting good

to come to (& see) them

growing as well they should.

1) Prov 29:25
It is dangerous to be concerned with what other people think of you, but if you trust in the Lord you are safe...

2) the Apostle Paul said something like "if I were still concerned with what people think of me I could not be Christ' servant"

3) the scriptures' general way of speaking disparagingly about those who try to justify themselves, instead of trusting God to vindicate & justify them...

As with all proverbial wisdom, beware of using these sayings as words, without the Wisdom of God to help you to use them well. If they only take you to a dark place, you need a friend or acquaintance (who you can learn to trust), who will help you see through the eyes of your Father who loves his small child...

A present-day "scientific" parable of what it is like to relate to friends in the social/spiritual world with respect to clarifying just where things are at, is the "(Heisenberg's) Uncertainty Principle" or at least what it means for determining the position of an electron in relation to an atom that it is bound to.

If you haven't learned about it in Physics, or life in general etc, anyone who has done Physics or Chem to yr 12 should be able to explain it to you (or You Tube), and then I think you'll see the connection. It has helped me any way.