DUCT DYNASTY: STICKY FRIENDSHIPS...We are friends! REALLY?

Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise,    but the companion of fools will suffer harm.  Proverbs 13:20

I remember as a kid watching the Incredible Hulk, and how at the end of every episode David Banner (the scientist) was seen walking by himself....hitch-hiking.   As the Incredible Hulk no one wanted to hang with him of course, because he was violent and volatile.   But even as a mild mannered scientist you quickly saw that not many people hung with him then either, and even more so most of them didn't have his best interests at heart either.   I'd almost be willing to say...he had little to NO FRIENDS, and that's not good either, rather sad.  What about you?  Do you have good friends?

King Solomon was known as the wisest man to ever live.   As a matter of fact, when God asked him what would you like to have (since he was already king,and prosperous); & King Solomon asked for wisdom.    This verse tells us a lot about relationships, and the importance of determining who it is we ultimately walk with.

The first half of the verse contains a promise:  WHOEVER WALKS WITH, ASSOCIATES WITH, HANGS OUT WITH the wise becomes wise.  The question : Are there any wise people in your circle of friends/influence?  What have you learned from them that has made you wiser in life?  Wiser in your marriage?  Wiser in your finances?  Wiser in your education?   Do you also bring wisdom (knowledge rightly applied) to the table?

Now the second part of the verse contains a stern warning:  But (a contrast) the companion of fools will suffer harm.  Notice it doesn't say the companion/the friend of fools will become foolish.   No it says the companion/the friend/someone who hangs with fools will eventually suffer harm.   How many kids/teens/adults have gotten hurt because they were hanging with the wrong people.   I have friends that were in car accidents that weren't drinking but the people they were "hanging with" were.   I know people who are now heavily monitored by law enforcement because they happened to be hanging with/hanging around suspect individuals.    I know people who marriages have fallen apart because they couples they hang around don't have moral marriages.   We all were kids once and got hurt because of the foolish actions of others.  But as adults are we keeping good GODLY company, or are we taking hits in our relationships because of our companionship with fools?

So the greatest question is now........as we think about WHO ARE FRIENDS ARE is:  IS YOUR LIFE HEADED IN THE DIRECTION YOU WANT IT TO GO BECAUSE OF YOUR FRIENDS or have you began to drift in a direction that causes you to pause and say I NEED NEW FRIENDS?   If that's you.....consider getting into a loving community of people headed in the direction you desire you life to be heading.    LGLP  (#joinagrowthgroupTODAY)