Games Students Play: "Let's Him and You Fight"

"Let's Him and You Fight" (Be sure you have read the introduction to these "games":Games Students Play)

Normally a youth vs youth game, it can be youth vs adult. Church staff can play it also!

This is a classic that gets played a lot! Someone, usually someone bored and needing some excitement, but also for more devious reasons, will pit one person against another but sidling up to one and reporting something the other person said about them. The report may or may not be accurate or truthful. Truth is beside the point for this interaction. When person number two reacts badly and says something hasty or inappropriate the troublemaker can then run to person number three and report what person number two said about them. And we're off to the races. These escalating interchanges can get violent or seriously destructive.

To break this up:

• First, if you are person number one, don't do it. It is beneath your dignity and faithfulness. Find some other form of fun.
• If you are person number two or three don't get sucked in. If you haven't heard the comment first hand, you haven't heard it. You may say to the troublemaker, “Oh? Well, I think I'll go check that with ….” The troublemaker needs to keep the two parties apart until things are thoroughly out of control.
• If you are seeing this develop from afar – invite person number one to go do something (send them on an errand, perhaps). Call persons number two and three together and explain what you saw developing. You can directly say that you think person number one is trying to pick a fight. (but don't turn this into a You and Him Fight” with you acting as person number one.) and convince them that they don't need to believe whatever person one has said.