Bad Company - Proverbs 13
I just started reading the book entitled "Blue Like Jazz" by Donald Miller. It's one of those books I hear so much about. It seems like every day for a while, I heard this book mentioned. I decided I'd find out what the hubbub is all about. I'm only in chapter two, but so far it tells about this guy's childhood - how different people in his life shaped his perceptions and his realities. It mentioned his father, who left his mom early on and disappeared all together when he entered middle school. It mentioned his childhood friend who introduced him to his first view of a pornographic magazine. It mentioned his friend, Tony the Beat Poet, and how they protested at an event President Bush had attended. I couldn't help think of how these people had shaped this author's life when I came across this verse in today's chapter:
20 He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.Do you think his life would have turned out differently if his father had been an upright man and had been faithful to his family? What if his young friend would have encouraged him to not look at that magazine? Do you think his life would have been different if his friends would have been more interested in being a part of the solution (volunteering in a homeless shelter, helping out at an orphanage, or raising money for hungry people, for example) rather than pointlessly protesting just so they could appear socially active?
We can't waste time blaming our current condition on the past, but it is important to realize how we have been shaped in live by the company we keep. And, more importantly, set our minds to surrounding ourselves with people with good character and morals as Solomon suggests in today's Proverb.
How? Get involved in a men's group and find a few men who love Jesus. Get a few godly men to be accountable to. Pray for people in your life who will influence you for good. Grow wise by hanging out with wise people.
peace,
e
