Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.
Proverbs 13:20
The people with whom you are closest will have the greatest influence in your life. The character of the friends you choose will rub off on you. And the deeper a friendship becomes, the more like your friend you will become. Friendship can bring you great good or do you great harm, depending on the friends you choose.
God says, “The companion of fools will suffer harm.” That’s the normal pattern that prevails in this world: “Bad company ruins good morals” (1 Cor. 15:33). And it would be naive for you to think that this does not apply to you.
When you grasp the principle that the people to whom you give deepest access in your life will have the greatest influence upon you, you will see that good friends can be a wonderful gift and blessing. “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise”! So get close to the kind of people you want to be like.
Proverbs says, “Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man” (22:24). Notice the reference here is to people who are habitually angry. Don’t make them your friend. You may have to work with such a person, but don’t give them deep access into your life.
Choose your friends wisely. Let friendship develop slowly. Good friendships are like fruit: they take time to grow and time to ripen. The true character of a person will become evident over time, and you will be able to discern if this is a friendship that should go deeper or not.
Consider the influence of your friendships on your life. Do you need to make any changes?
