WATCHWORD:
Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. Proverbs 13:20
Meditation:
Purposeful Intimacy
As you read the proverbs passage there is an expectation of hope. When you associate with those of character and love, you are more likely to embrace those qualities. The same thing applies if you associate with those of low character, who may lack honesty, then you are more likely to embrace those ‘qualities’. The logic makes sense to me.
It’s not simply being around wise people or smart people that makes a person wiser, smarter, gentle, or compassionate. There’s no osmosis in character development, no siphoning off whose qualities, claiming them as your own. It’s literally living out a kind of life that you begin to develop the visible evidence of your character. As character traits are observed, you may be influencing the character qualities in others, both the good and questionable.
The Holy Spirit within you will let you know about even the most subtle differences between wise and foolish. It truly is a conscious choice to learn and live wisdom, qualities that we see in others. There is value in surrounding ourselves with wise counselors and compassionate friends, but it’s more than that. It’s actually working, living, acting out, and making a conscious decisions to walk in accord with the examples that you have seen and heard.
There is a secondary warning in this Proverbs verse. Because our success or failure of our walk with the Lord may be affected by our friendships; those we choose to embrace and associate with, will have a subtle impact on who we are or who we become in the eyes of the Lord. It’s a choice, it’s always a choice.
So, if it’s a choice, which way are you going? What decisions are you making? What friendships are you forming and maintaining? Which way will those relationships be pulling you? Which influence, which intimacy with a purpose will you follow?
Closing Prayer:
Precious Lord, we pray for guidance, wisdom to make good choices on those we associate with. We seek to follow your will in all that we do but we need the wisdom that only you can provide in choosing, embracing friendships and living our lives according to your commands. Help us to pay more attention to your Holy Spirit within each one of us, being alert to the nudges and the influences that the spirit provides. We pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
