Choose Them Wisely
December 17, 2018
Just because someone is good to you does not mean they are good for you.
So she’s thoughtful and supportive. But what if every time you’re together you end up doing things that you’re not proud of? Maybe you drink too much, or spend too much money, or maybe you end up gossiping about other people or you end up complaining about your spouse.
Just because someone is good to you does not mean they are good for you.
Proverbs 13:20
Walk with the wise and become wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.
So he takes you out on nice dates and buys you gifts and helps you with things around your house. But what if he doesn’t live for the Lord? Maybe he doesn’t want to go to church and he doesn’t support you in your desire to do God’s will in your life.
Just because someone is good to you does not mean they are good for you.
I attended a women’s Bible study this past week, and we studied the friendship between David and Jonathan. Jonathan’s father Saul was jealous of David and repeatedly tried to kill him. Jonathan’s loyalty lay with God, and thus he sided with his friend instead of his own father. This took great courage and great trust in the Lord.
1 Samuel 18:1-4
After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return to his father’s house. And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.
Jonathan ended up saving David’s life when Jonathan realized his own father was trying to kill his friend. Then they had to part ways as David needed to flee.
1 Samuel 20:41b-42
…David got up from the south side of the stone and bowed down before Jonathan three times with his face to the ground. Then they kissed each other and wept together- but David wept the most. Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘The Lord is witness between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever.’” Then David left, and Jonathan went back to the town.
Wow. Wouldn’t we all like to have a friendship like the one between David and Jonathan? They were both fully dedicated to the Lord and courageously supported one another in following God. One of the things said at Bible study this week was, “Your best friends need to be people that are faithful to the Lord.” I agree. If you want to live passionately, purposefully for the Lord Jesus Christ, you need close friends (and a significant other/spouse), who is likeminded in devotion to Jesus.
So if you have been spending time with anyone who is not good for you, you may want to rethink that relationship. Maybe the things the two of you do together, or talk about, or watch together leave you with a sick, gross feeling in your gut. I would suggest that is the Holy Spirit convicting you. Or maybe there’s someone that you just spend copious amounts of time with, to the extent that it distracts you from ever having to spend time with yourself and work on the things God wants to heal in you and clean up. Sometimes going on dates or going out with friends is just an escape from dealing with God and with yourself.
Just because someone is good to you does not mean they are good for you.
Choose your friends wisely. There’s an old quote that says:
Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future.
Keep people closest to you who will help you follow the Lord above all else and who will help you grow in wisdom and character.
Proverbs 27:17
As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
