When I was growing up, two groups of people wanted me to hangout with them. First, there were the tough guys. They sought attention by constantly breaking the rules. At younger ages, this meant cursing, lying and petty thefts. The other group was the so called “good kids”. They weren’t particularly righteous, but rarely got into trouble.
I chose to hangout with the good kids. It wasn’t that I was a good kid, but rather that I was afraid of getting into trouble. Again, I didn’t do a lot of kind and good things, but I did avoid trouble, for the most part.
The Bible speaks about the importance of choosing our friends carefully. Proverbs 12:26 says, “One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.” If our closest friends are living in righteousness, they will guide us in the same direction. However, if our closest friends are living wayward lives, they will lead us into evil. It is difficult to minimize the impact that our closest friends will have upon us. We will tend to become like them in many ways. Choose your friends carefully and wisely. Your friends will affect how you live.
Reluctant Retiree 