Yesterday we looked at Hebrews 4:12 and discussed how Scripture is a living and active tool that God has given us to shape our lives. Today I want to look at one verse and use Scripture to begin to shape how we view friendships.
Proverbs 13:20 states, “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.”
The book of Proverbs contains general principles that apply to life. This particular verse addresses our friends and companions. It makes the simple point that our friends influence us. We may be inclined to think we are strong and we influence those around us, but the reality is that more often than not our friends influence us.
We begin to dress like those around us, like the same bands that our friends like, play the same sports our friends like, watch the movie that the group wants to see, and enter into the discussion the group is having.
The issue isn’t whether or not our friends influence us, but instead the types of friends we have. We can control the individuals we chose to hang out with. We can focus on spending time with friends from work, or friends from church, or friends from school, or friends from our sports team.
Take a minute and think about your closest friends. With whom do you spend the most time? Picture their faces, your topics of conversation, and the activities you commonly do with them.
Now comes the hard part: Would you classify them as wise or foolish?
Scripture is clear: the companion of the wise become wise and the companion of the fool will suffer harm. Let this truth pierce you thoughts, your motives, and your actions and today consider what it means to pursue wise friends.
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Growing Up Christian urges teens, who are growing up in the church, to develop a faith and a walk of their own. It aims to help teens appreciate the blessings of growing up in a Christian environment and navigate some of the unique dangers they face.
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About the Author - Karl Graustein
Hi, my name is Karl Graustein. I serve as a Principal at Annapolis Area Christian School in Severn, Maryland. In 1993, I graduated from Wheaton College with a B.A. in Mathematics, and in 1997, I graduated from Regent University with a M.A. in Educational Leadership. In 2000, I married my wonderful wife, Jennifer, and since then God has given us three great children. It was a privilege to work with Mark Jacobsen to write Growing Up Christian. Mark is a graduate of the USAF Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He is a pilot and a writer.
1 comment :
This verse is very true. I have two brothers. One is a College dude who is very clean cut and traditional. And then I have another older brother who's style is almost what me and some friends would call 'goth'. They both have different people they hung out with which gave them both different personalities, convictions, and looks. :) This verse has made me think about what I am, the younger one, going to turn out like when I'm they're age. Positive Peer Pressure is a definate key.
-Dave (I'm reading Growing up Christian) (it's good!)
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