A close friend once confided that she was struggling financially and hadn’t eaten proper meals for days. Wanting to help, I promised to bring her some of the extra food I usually prepared. Later that evening, I opened Instagram and was surprised to see her smiling at a restaurant, surrounded by plates of food. Confused,

I wondered if someone had treated her, or if the photo was old. For a moment, I questioned whether she had exaggerated her struggles. Instead of jumping to conclusions, I called her. She admitted she had been embarrassed about her situation and didn’t want others online to know how difficult things had become.

Posting the restaurant photo was her way of hiding the truth. Her honesty struck me—social media often paints a polished picture, masking reality. I still brought her the meals, and we shared an open, heartfelt conversation about what she was going through.

That night reminded me how important it is to lead with compassion rather than judgment. What we see online is rarely the full story, and sometimes the smallest act of care can make the biggest difference.