Proverbs 13:20 “Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.”
I am raising my three teenage sons and on any given weekend there are at least 3-4 other teenage boys at my home. Let me tell you, some of the conversations I hear are crazy. These guys will talk about anything and everything around me because I have worked hard to let them know that my home is a safe place for everyone.
I have a huge burden on my heart to witness to these young men since God has placed them in my path. They all come from good families and have wonderful parents but “crowd mentality” is a real thing and sometimes they can get off on a wrong path and open the door to trouble. I do not preach to them, but I do redirect the conversation and encourage them to see the situation from a different point of view, God’s point of view. It is so important to help your children, your family and even your friends to identify when someone is being wise and when someone is being a fool because if you “walk with the wise” you will become wiser but if you “associate with fools” you can get into trouble.
The character and behavior of the people you allow into your life are also important. Proverbs 22:24-25 says, “Don’t befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people, or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul.” I am not saying you should not witness to people like this, but it is a slippery slope to think you will be able to change someone to be different than who they are when you first meet them. You see, YOU cannot change them, only GOD can. You can be the wise person, doing the right things and following in the footsteps of Jesus. Others will see who you are and notice there is something different about you and your home. It will draw them in, and they will want to know what makes you different. Then a natural conversation about Jesus can come up and the Holy Spirit will do the rest.
Dear God, thank you for providing us with the best example of what it is to be wise through your son, Jesus. And thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to take over where I fall short. You have the best plans for everyone. Please help me to open my eyes to see what you are doing. Amen.