Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Playing by the Rules”
Our Bible verse for today: “The one who walks with the wise will become wise, but a companion of fools will suffer harm.” Proverbs 14:20 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “You become like those you associate with.”
All this month we’re giving thought to the important principle of “Playing by the Rules”, or more precisely, “Living according to God’s rules.” This morning we come to a basic truism about human nature in general, but which is also a Biblical principle and which is restated and illustrated numerous times in the Bible. It is the fact that “You become like those you associate with.”
Yes we do. If you hang around with people who use foul language all the time, it won’t be long before you’re talking that way too. If your friends all do drugs, you will too. If those closest to you continually listen to a particular kind of music, you will probably learn to like it and listen to it as well. The old saying, “Birds of a feather flock together” is trite but true.
It’s also true that numbers matter. If a group consists of one or two non-believers and many Christians, that’s good. If the group consists of only one Christian but numerous non-believers, that can be bad.
More than once I’ve attempted to work with a “former” drug addict to help them stay clean and out of trouble, only to have that person begin re-associating with people still in that lifestyle. Inevitably the former addict ends up being drawn back into the world of drugs and crime. In 1 Corinthians 15:33 the Apostle Paul cautioned us about this when he wrote, “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company corrupts good morals.”
The opposite is true too. Hang around with good people who are upright and moral, and they will rub off on you. That’s what Solomon meant in Proverbs 14:20. If you want to become wise, surround yourself with wise people. Listen to them; learn from them; and in time you will become like them. If your life is a mess but you want to turn it around, find people who already have the kind of life you would like to have and spend as much time with them as you can. Over time you become like those you associate with.
As I write this it is Friday morning. If you’ll allow me to trade on an old book title from Tony Compallo, “It’s Friday but Sunday’s Coming”. What will you do this Sunday morning? More importantly, who will you be with? Churches all around your town will be meeting for worship, study, and fellowship. They will be filled with good people, nice people, people who love Jesus and who love you too. They are people who would be happy for join them.
We become like those we associate with. It’s more than just a basic truth about human nature it’s a Biblical principle and a rule of life. Choose your friends and associates carefully. A good Bible-believing, Bible-teaching church filled with friendly and caring Christians is a great place to start.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 