Your Friends Are Shaping Your Future

“Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.” Proverbs 13:20

Have you considered how the trajectory of your life is dependent on the kinds of relationships you choose to nourish? Each relationship in your life shapes you for good or for bad, whether you recognize it at the time or not. In 1 Corinthians 15:33, the apostle Paul warns the disciples in Corinth: “Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for ‘bad company corrupts good character.’”

This lines up with Psalm 1: “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers…” It’s important for you to realize that this doesn’t mean that, as a follower of Jesus, you’re not called to love everyone. You are! The challenge before you is to engage the world, in the power of the holy spirit and with the mind of christ, without being conformed to the mindset of the world.

Though you make the effort to love and connect with others in order to show them what Christ has done for you, it’s essential to surround yourself with people whose lives inspire you toward righteousness in your own life. The truth is that the more you do this, the greater your witness to those who don’t know Jesus will be in the end anyway.

As you pray today, consider the friendships and influences in your life. Are they drawing you closer to God or pulling you away? Ask the Lord for the wisdom and courage necessary to nurture the kinds of relationships that will encourage your faith while maintaining a loving witness to those who don't know Him.