A Way That Is Not Good...

As a parent you're always paying attention to who your kids are hanging around. Why is this important? Because people are so easily influenced. Sometimes it's for the good, and unfortunately this can also be for the worse. Have you ever noticed how just being around someone can influence you? I remember that when I first became a Christian a wise man told me to start hanging around people who were heading in a direction with their Christian walk that I wouldn't mind following. I took his advice, and to this day I'm thankful for those several individuals who allowed me to do this :) Proverbs 16:29 gives us a clear warning when it comes to following others, "The exceedingly grasping, covetous, and violent man entices his neighbor, leading him in a way that is not good." The Message is pretty blunt by saying, "Calloused climbers betray their very own friends; they'd stab their own grandmothers in the back." I think this is pretty clear and is a warning that too many people ignore. There's no need for fear or panic here, unless you're blind and naive and allow someone to lead you down a path that's not good. I regularly get asked by people how to be more alert to this? According to the Bible, one of the best ways will be in their fruit (Luke 6). What kind of lifestyle do they live? What comes out of their mouth? What's their reputation? Fruit can be faked for a short season but what's really there will be evident sooner or later. I'm thankful for the amazing men and women that God's put in my life to help me daily hit the mark as a Christian :)