Proverbs 13:20
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He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
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What a simple rule for wisdom and life! Dear reader, reject fools and choose wise men as your friends, and you will grow in wisdom and avoid much trouble in life. Even athletes use superior competition to bring out their best, though it means losing regularly.
But is it easy? No. Your heart will lie that you are strong enough to resist them, and you may face the hard fact that some of your better friends are fools. But Scripture gives help.
It declares, "Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners" (I Cor 15:33). The warning of deception is to save you, as many think friends are not dangerous. But if you allow an evil source of input in your life, you will certainly lose your good manners.
And fools cannot be real friends to a child of God. It is impossible: they are incompatible by nature. And they have nothing of value to offer. So ignore feelings or history, and cut off your foolish friends. What is a fool? Do they fear God or not (1:7; Rom 16:17-18)?
David separated from the ungodly and fools (Psalm 1:1; 101:1-8; 119:115), and he chose companions of those who feared God (Psalm 119:63,79). Did he have good friends? His relationship with Jonathan was wonderful (I Sam 18:1-4; 20:16-17; 23:16; II Sam 1:26).
Child training includes monitoring friends, for peer pressure is one of the greatest threats to children and youth. Many noble parents take their children out of public schools, but fail to monitor their friends from church, Christian schools, sports, and the neighborhood.
Godly men are lovers of good men, so we must learn to discriminate wisely (Titus 1:8). Since all men can be easily compared on a scale of virtue and wisdom, wise men will gravitate toward those on the top of the scale, even among a church's membership.
How far should you flee fools? Very far! Go not in the way with them (1:15; 4:15; 9:6) and have no fellowship with them (Eph 5:11-12)! Your soul is at stake, dear reader.
Wisdom starts by fearing the Lord, which ought to be the first trait we demand. A church can and should provide most or all of such friends (Heb 3:12-13; 10:23-25; II Peter 1:1).
Cross-references:
Proverbs 19:27
You are the company you keep. This well-known American saying is just a weak version of Solomon's warning. No matter how wise you are, foolish friends will bring you trouble. But also, no matter how foolish you are, wise friends will teach you wisdom.
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