“My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path: For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.” (Proverbs 1: 15-16)
When I was a teenager, my Dad always told me to watch the kids I hung out with because “you are known by the company you keep.” He knew the effects of peer pressure better than I did and tried his best to steer me clear of harmful situations. I never brought many friends home that he disapproved of, but if I did, he was quick to inform me if he thought they were trouble. During our quest for godly manhood, we can get sidetracked if we fail to surround ourselves with other godly men with similar goals. Paul warns us: “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.” (I Corinthians 15:33). The people we socialize and interact with are the ones who will have the greatest influence on us. “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump,” (I Corinthians 5:6).If we desire to stay godly men, we will have to be careful with whom we associate. We must refrain our feet from the path of the wicked because it is their nature to run to evil. Not only that, but we must also “abstain from all appearance of evil.” (I Thessalonians 5:22). Many godly men’s reputations have been ruined by being in the wrong place at the wrong time or by being in a situation that appeared evil, even if it was totally innocent. We must always be on guard for our reputations and for the purity of our hearts. Think about the company you keep. Is there anyone hindering your walk with the Lord that you need to distance yourself from?
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