Walk with the wise and become wise.
We’re on day four of our series Let go and let God… Today, I would like to apply this to our friendships: Let go of toxic friends, and let God lead you to the right ones.
The Bible encourages deep, loyal and Godly friendships. It reminds us of how valuable such friends can be:
- A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need. – Proverbs 17:17 NLT
- The pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice. – Proverbs 27:9 NIV
But it also warns us of the dangers of the wrong kind of friends:
- One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. – Proverbs 18:24 NIV
- The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray. – Proverbs 12:26 NIV
- Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm. – Proverbs 13:20 NIV
- Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared. – Proverbs 22:24-25 NIV
This doesn’t mean that all your friends need to be believers; it is great to be friends with people who don’t know Jesus (yet) and to show them God’s love through your actions.
What is crucial, though, is that you make sure your friends, Christians or non-Christians, do not lead you into sin through peer pressure:
My son, if sinful men entice you, do not give in to them. My son, do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths – Proverbs 1:10,15 NIV
Toxic friendships can drag us into sins, including gossip, bullying, anger, lust, jealousy, and more.
Do you have friends who aren’t a good influence? Let this be your wake-up call to let them go!
Heavenly Father, give the wisdom to recognise toxic friendships, the strength to end them and the courage to seek new, Godly friends. Amen
