Choosing Your Company

by Don Hite

In Proverbs 12:26 Solomon writes that the righteous should choose their friends carefully and cautiously and they should choose those that are not wicked:

“The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray”. (NKJV)

Therefore the righteous should keep company with friends who are likewise righteous.

The wicked will only lead the righteous astray and are like the blind guides Jesus spoke of in Matthew 15:14 and we should avoid them.

The righteous are Blameless, Decent, Good, Honest, Honorable, Just, Moral, Respectable Upright, Virtuous and above all God fearing. Righteous friends are accountable to one another and will not lead one another astray. They will not lead one another into compromising situations or encourage bad behavior in one another.

My mother used to tell us growing up: “Tell me who you are with and I will tell what you are”.

As a parent and as a grandparent I have used the same words over the years and have found that to be true.

Here's an example why choosing your company carefully is important

If you are hanging around with someone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol, chances are very good that you will become addicted yourself. If you are fortunate enough do not become addicted to one or both their circle of influence will still be a part of your friendship.

This may lead you to encourage their addiction by lying for them, covering up for them, making excuses for their actions or even committing crimes with them or for them.