Proverbs 12:26 “The righteous should choose his friends carefully, For the way of the wicked leads them astray.”
One of the most addressed topics in the Book of Proverbs is friendship. In Proverbs, we learn about how TO BE a friend (a friend loves at all times, Proverbs 17:17). We learn that a friend HELPS their friend(s) to be better (Proverbs 27:6 and 27:17). Here in Proverbs 12:26, we are reminded to be CAREFUL of who we have as friends.
Why the CAUTION? Because as friendships develop, the friend’s influence increases. With teenagers, a friend’s influence can easily and quickly become more important to them than parental influence. Proverbs 13:20 provides some very valuable insight as it states, “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but a companion of fools will be destroyed.”
A quote I like to use about the influence of friends is “Friends are like buttons in an elevator. They can take you up or take you down.”
No matter the age of a person, one must be careful with whom they associate. A great guide for who your friends should be is found in Psalms 119:63. It says, “I am a friend to all who fear You, to those who keep Your precepts.” In other words, your friend(s) should be those who love the Savior, love the Scriptures, and love the saints. And to be a great friend, you start by loving the Savior, loving the Scriptures, and loving the saints.
Oh, be careful who your friends are!
“Associate yourself with Men of good Quality if you esteem your own reputation; for ’tis better to be alone than in bad Company.” George Washington
Continue Strong, being and having friends,
And remember to DATE THE WORD