Saturday, June 14, 2014

Reading for today: Proverbs 13, 14, 15

There are many recurring themes that we find in Proverbs and one of those is to be careful who you hang out with. Proverbs 13:20 says “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools suffers harm.” Remember your parents telling you “don’t hang out with that person, he’s/she’s a bad influence.” It was a prayer that I always prayed for my daughters (and now my grandchildren) that they would find good friend to influence their choices in life and for the most part I think they have. Friends go a long way to help or hurt us through this journey we call life.

So my question for today is this: “Who do you hang out with?” (I also, asked myself the same question.) Who am I friends with? Who do I want influencing me and really, influencing the rest of my family? Do you wanted your friends to be someone who brings drugs to your house or uses foul language in front of you or your kids or encourages you to go drinking with them? Are your friends people who distract you from God and the Church? Look around now and ask yourself, “Who are my friends? What kind of people are they?”

So like the proverb, if I hang around people who are wise, then their wisdom will rub off, and I will become wiser. On the other hand if I hang out with fools, their foolishness will rub off of them on to me and I will become more foolish.

Now don’t misunderstand me here, because I don’t want you to think that we should turn our backs on people who are "bad influences" or who make wrong choices, we are called by Jesus specifically to care for the lost and the hurting and the broken people in this world. Actually that is one of our church’s specific prayers; to reach the lost of the Brokenstraw Valley, and we can’t do that if we don’t spend time with them. But I think you can understand the difference. Befriending someone who needs to find Christ and being the example for them, is important, but not at the expense that we lose way in the process. I’ve been down that road and it can be a hard road to find your way back from.

So, who of your friends are “good” influences in your life and who are the “bad?” Prayerfully consider and then follow Jesus’ direction and choose what is better.

Blessings

Pastor Kathy