You are who you hang with

Growing up in a family that lived and breathed youth ministry I heard this saying probably a thousand times.  Whenever one of my dad’s students started hanging with people who were less than questionable, one or both of my parents would utter, “You are who you hang with.”  As sick as I am of this saying, I am learning how applicable it is more every day.  All my life I have tried to surround myself with people who have the same beliefs and morals that I hold.  This has not really been that hard.  My friends have generally been dubbed “the good kids” and this has been the case for as long as I have known them.  But recently I have seen some of them make bad decisions as to the type of people they surround themselves with.  This has consequently led them down a path that is not honoring God. 

            I am reminded of Daniel.  Long before he was thrown in the lions din he surrounded himself with some pretty godly people. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, were three of Daniels best friends.  It was through surrounding himself with people who shared the same morals that gave him the support to stand up for what was right.  These four young men were able to rely on each other and stand up for their faith on numerous occasions. 

            This is not to say that everyone that you consider a friend has to be someone who is of high moral standards.  However, it is important that your closest confidants are people who you can rely on to do the right thing.  Also, if you find yourself doing things around certain people, that compromise your faith, you need to seriously reconsider the time that you do spend with those people.

            By surrounding ourselves with people who love and honor God we will be more likely to do so ourselves.  Because my parents are right “you are who you hang with.” 

 

In Christ,

Nick