The Company We Keep

You need to choose wisely the people you surround yourself with. Your company will have a substantial effect on your own attitude and general ways of living. The book of Proverbs is a book of wisdom, godly wisdom. Take this verse for example.

Proverbs 13:20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

We know who those people are in our own lives that embody wisdom or foolishness. If you were to look back at your younger years you can probably think of a person that seemed wise in your own eyes. But as you get older and wiser yourself you start to see who the foolish ones were back then. And you can see the foolish mistakes some people are making or are bound to make in their lives right now. It is a very important decision to surround yourself with those that seek to promote wisdom and rebuke folly.

Those around you have a much stronger impact on your life than you may realize. This is especially true for younger people as well as younger Christians.

Young people are inherently always looking for someone to imitate. They are going to gravitate to people that they think will be their friend. And when the friendship metasisizes , or grows, so does their imitation of that person. We hope and pray in a godly family that our children will look to those who are themselves godly in their conduct, as much as a child can be, and seek to imitate them. It’s our job as parents , or shepherds, to do the things we are capable of doing to foster growth in our children in a manner that is pleasing to God.

The following verses in Titus give us a pretty clear example of the things a man should be who is a follower of Christ.

Titus 2:1-2  But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.

He then goes on to list things men should be teaching to their sons or the younger men in the church.

Titus 2:6-8 Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

Younger Christians, not necessarily young in age, are very susceptible to teachings that may not be solid and biblical. These people being new in their walk with Christ are trying to figure everything out. Trying almost everything they can try to grow closer to God and hopefully the church. Having an older wiser person , or people, to disciple them is what is needed. It is needed so they will stay on the path so to speak. A lot of things ,and people, can look wise to someone new in the faith. Learning to discern who the false teachers are takes other wiser Christians to show the new Christians what to look out for and what/who to avoid.

I was converted late in my life and I was fortunate enough to have several wiser godly men around me. These men discipled me and pointed me to the cross when I went astray. So if you are a new convert or a younger in age Christian seek out the wiser godly men and women around you to aid you in your walk. Try to surround yourself with wisdom. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, I ask a lot!