The stats show us that who we surround ourselves with will indeed change the direction of our lives. So what does that mean for people who follow the Lord Jesus Christ? Well I'm glad you asked. The line of thinking rings true in the realm of your personal Christian life. If you surround yourself with people who richly and deeply follow and love the LORD Jesus Christ this will rub off on you. You will be the recipient of the blessings that flow out of being around Christ honoring people.
The word of God gives us such rich insight into this idea. Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. Proverbs 13:20 -- Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare. Proverbs 22:24-25
Notice the call in both of these verses? We are told that being around people who are wise will make you wise as well. But being around fools or angry/bitter people will entangle you in the same problematic issues.
God knows that if Christians make peace with the ideologies of the world that they will be comprised. This is why James tells us in James 4:4 You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.
If you are trying to be a friend to the world, you will by default be an enemy of God (Galatians 1:10). Why? Because God and this fallen world are extremely opposed to one another. God gives us a command not to be connected on a intimate level with unbelievers...Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 2 Corinthians 6:14
Some might think then, we must be unkind to those who are outside of the faith, no quite the opposite is true. We are called to LOVE those who are lost. We are called to pray for those who are considered our enemies (Matthew 5:43-48). We can love and pray for people who are not saved and not allow them to persuade or change our way of thinking.
The bottom line here is that if you are surrounding yourself with people who are in love with this present world that will rub off on you and will damage your relationship with Christ here on this earth. Likewise, if we are around people who love and chase after the Lord JESUS that will rub off on you as well and it will by default bring blessings into your life.
So as you're picking friends, pick people who LOVE Jesus furiously and it just might transform the way you interact with the world around you. Do life with people who are going to push you towards the throne room of grace rather than drag you into the pits of hell.
As I am ending this I wanted to leave us with this verse as we are waging war against sinfulness in our lives it's good to have men and women by you who are trench warriors. Those who are willing to get into the mud and fight FOR US and not against us.
For by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory. Wisdom is too high for a fool; in the gate he does not open his mouth Whoever plans to do evil will be called a schemer. Proverbs 24:6-8
Putting Godly people in your court will give you victory in this life and the life to come, but surrounding yourself with wicked people who truly cause you much trouble.
Don't trade eternal blessings for temporary pleasures. It never ends well in the long run.
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