Your phone vibrates and the picture of a dear friend appears on the screen. Excitedly you answer only to hear, “I got laid-off today.” Woah! No matter how you put it — downsized, let go, terminated, eliminated, pink-slipped — this is a difficult day. After the initial shock and grief, your friend will begin a dreaded period of unemployment. You want to help of course. It’s in our United Methodist DNA, but sometimes you say the wrong thing at the wrong time. Not wanting to make matters worse, you may be tempted to keep your distance. Don’t. The journey of unemployment can be very discouraging. By drawing near as a traveling companion you can help someone close to you stay connected to their faith and the church. To help you reinforce the positive, and keep your foot out of your mouth, here are some things NOT to say to someone who is unemployed.