Between You And God #27

Dear God, Does it really matter who my friends are?

When you’re young, your friends are usually picked for you. Your mom arranges playdates or you hang out with kids in the neighborhood. When you get older, you begin to choose friends for yourself. It’s exciting—and maybe a little dangerous. So many girls and groups to choose from. Who should your friends be?

Friends talk together, watch movies together, and go places together. If you choose a friend who goes to good places, reads good books, watches good TV shows, and talks about good things, that is where your conversation (and your mind) will be focused. If you choose a friend who uses nasty language, gossips, or is tempted to do wrong things . . . you will be too.

Consider the girl whose new friend wanted eye shadow that she had no money for. When the girls went to the drugstore, the broke friend slipped some eye shadow in her pocket. The police were called, and they held both girls—one for stealing, and the other under suspicion that she had helped. Both girls’ parents had to come and pick them up.

When the girls first became friends, there was no indication that the one girl was a thief. But she did show signs of not following rules and being rude to those in authority. There may as well have been a sign that said, “Trouble, ten miles ahead.” If only the other girl had stopped to read it.

God gives us choices rather than making all of the decisions for us. He shows us options, and then helps us to understand so we make good decisions. Think about the road people are walking before you decide if you want to jump on it and be their friend. Is it leading where you want to go?

How about You?

Are your friends walking on a path that leads to somewhere you want to end up? Why or why not?

God Says . . .

Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble. Proverbs 13:20