The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray. Proverbs 12:26
Everybody has some friends. Some have many, while most have just a few friends. Most have just a few in person close friends, if any at all. Choosing someone to be a friend is often done by finding someone who has similar likes and dislikes. People tend to have hundreds of ‘friends’ on social media sites because they ‘like’ some posts or pictures about a person and they become friends.
Solomon says that the righteous person should be careful in choosing his friends because if the friend is wicked, that friend will lead him astray.
The world is quick to accept someone as a friend. They are looking for acceptance from anybody and everybody. There is no real moral standard in the eyes of the world, so anyone can be acceptable.
Having a friend can influence a person for the right or for the wrong. The closer the friend, the higher the level of influence.
Believers are to influence the world for God. Their lives are to be one in which people are drawn to God, not pushed away. Often many believers have become friends with those in the world and are influenced by the world, rather than being the influencer. Temptations to sin will rise higher when around those who are openly willing to live in sin against God.
Jesus was hated by the world. He was friendly to the world, but not friends with the world. In the same way, believers who are standing strong for God’s word and holiness, will be hated by the world. They will not be friends with the world and get led astray, instead they will choose friends who will lead to closer to God.
No matter where you live, you have many people who live around you. Some will desire to be your friend and some you would like to be friends with. Be careful in how you choose your friends. Those who reject God or reject His ways of living, will be strong influence upon you to get you to step into sin. They will lead you down the wrong path in this life.
Choose to be friends with other believers who are striving to live for God, not self and the world. Seek God’s wisdom in who to choose for a friend that will influence you for God.
Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that God will reveal to you who are your righteous friends and those who are of the world; that God will bring righteous friends into your life; and that you will be an influence for God in this world.
Picture by Ball Park Brand on Unsplash
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