Who Do You Walk With?
My parents advised me to hang around with the good kids as a young girl. I was advised to play with kids who obeyed their teachers and did their homework. Back then, I was too little to understand why they repeated this advice to me over and over again. Now that I’m older, I understand why.
Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools suffers harm. Proverbs 13:20, ESV (emphasis added)
You become like who you walk with. It is inevitable. None of us would like to be classified as a ‘fool’. But the truth is that if you make foolish choices, you are classified in light of your decision. According to scripture, the fool says in his heart, ‘there is no God’ (Proverbs 14:1), and the wise are those who fear the Lord (Proverbs 9:10). We all have a choice regarding who we walk with. We don’t have much say about the people we may have to work and engage within our daily activities. If they are fools, we can’t do anything about that. But we choose who we ‘walk’ or build a relationship with.
The word ‘walk’ signifies a close relationship where two parties in agreement intentionally spend time together. They are on a journey and have a common destination. So, the question today is, who do you walk with? You reflect the characteristics of those you walk with.
Also, note that the term ‘becomes’ is used in Proverbs 13:20,ESV. For instance, you gradually increase in wisdom and become wise when you walk with the wise. This is why it is easy to spot the ‘good wanna-be bad boy’ within a group of bad boys. Come back years later, and that wanna-be bad boy would have become a full-blown bad boy and would look exactly like his friends. The influence of those you walk with increases over time if that walk deepens and strengthens. If you walk with those who are evil, corruption is inevitable.
Sometimes we are aware that a relationship is bad for us, but we feel guilty to leave because we believe we can change things. If you struggle to break away from bad relationships because of guilt, you need to understand that the salvation of those who are dear to you is not dependent on your presence. Intercession, however, goes a long way as there is power in prayer.
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16, KJV.
You need to know when the wrong relationships impact your walk with God. Scripture never encourages us to walk with unbelievers. We are called to minister to them with wisdom and in the power of the Holy Spirit. You are not excluded when scripture points out that evil communication corrupts good manners (1 Corinthians 15:33).
There is ultimately nothing wrong with hanging around unbelievers to share the gospel. Jesus dinned with sinners, but they were transformed after encountering him. They knew they couldn’t continue living the lives they lived. So when you interact with unbelievers, let the light of the gospel of Christ in you shine forth. Nonetheless, your relationship with those who do not serve the Lord should not be classified as a ‘walk’; instead, it should fall under daily activities or interactions where applicable. Understand your boundaries when developing relationships with unbelievers to share the gospel. Let your life influence them.
Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 1 Corinthians 10:12, ESV
We can learn from the man who wrote Proverbs 13:20, the wise King Solomon. But, unfortunately, he didn’t walk with the wise. He married women from pagan nations and adopted their ways, and consequently, his zeal for the Lord diminished. 1Kings 11: 3-4,NIV: He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray. As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been.
Don’t take it lightly when scripture advises us to stay away from fools because knowledge cannot be found on their lips. (Proverbs 14:7, NIV). I can testify that when I changed the company I kept, my relationship with God improved, and the quality of my life improved. I began to soak up the wisdom of those around me who were walking by faith and applying the word of God to their life. I listened to the teachings of wise Christian leaders so I could grow in wisdom. The way of life certainly does wind upward for the wise (Proverbs 15:24).
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. Psalm 1:1, KJV
You will be blessed accepting counsel from those who are wise, walking with those who love God, and building relationships with people who fear God. As you commit to walking with the wise, your life will only get better!
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