“Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.”- Proverbs 13:20
In Chapter 7 (“From Isolated to Connected: Deepening Your Relational Circles”) of Simplify, Bill Hybels begins by asking: “Beyond your family, how many friends would show up at your funeral?” Throughout Bill’s years in the pastoral ministry, he has observed that most people guess high- way high. People have fewer friends than they estimate.
Pastor Hybels lists the hallmark ingredients of a true friendship: knowing and being known; accepting and being accepted; serving and being served; celebrating and being celebrated. He adds that “friendships require regular evaluation, pruning, and strengthening.”
There’s an expression in the South that “stupid rubs off.” A few years ago Pastor Hybels went to a Chicago Blackhawks game that included six fights and a bench-clearing brawl. As thousands of people exited the stadium, elbow-throwing, pushing, and shoving ensued. Bill asks, “Can anger and violence rub off?”
Solomon’s statement in Proverbs 13:20 is absolutely true. Pastor Hybels summarizes:
“When we surround ourselves with foolish people, we become like them. And when we surround ourselves with wise, mature, good people, their high character rubs off on us too.”
Today’s question: What wise Christian friends have been a blessing during your desert, transition time? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Red warning lights”
