*Note: When reading this, please don't think I'm talking about having a variety of friends and family that have different beliefs or think differently than you. This blog was mostly about being careful who you hang around because some times you can have a friend(s) that makes it a point to always pull you down. When you are around them, you never leave encouraged. Someone who is not healthy to be around, for you or your family. When he makes those 3 points, another way to state it is: 1.) Do they continually put down your pastor, your friends, or put you down? When they can't just hang out, have fun, and be pleasant, it can be wearisome after awhile.
An evangelist that we had at revival with this last week preached such an excellent sermon that really confirmed things in my heart. It was on a Wednesday night. He said that he really felt like God was dealing with him to talk about choosing our friends wisely. He made 3 points that stood out to me.
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Do your friends
1. Make you feel good about the pastor you love?
2. Make you feel good about the people in church you love?
3. Do they make you feel good about yourself?
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When you hang out with them, ask yourself those 3 questions. I love my church and my friends there. They are encouraging to me and really lift me up. I love my pastor and the preaching he gives 3 times a week. But... if you are hanging out with someone that constantly picks on those things you love, your mind can be warped into thinking negatively all the time. Not only that, you can become a cynical person yourself. Have you ever hung out with someone that mocks you over little mistakes you say or a blunder in your speech all the time? They look for the little thing. When you are done hanging out with them, you feel more stupid than anything.
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An excellent quote I read in the Duggar book 20 and Counting.
"Show me your friends and I'll show you your future".
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Wow! That really spoke to me. After hearing that sermon on Wednesday night, I am determined to have friends that encourage me to live for God, love my family, and to have a positive outlook on life. I don't want to go around knowing everyone's problems all the time. It makes it kind of hard to walk up to someone and talk to them if you've had someone just tell you two days ago something bad about them. I wouldn't want someone doing that to me. :P So I guess treating others as you would want to be treated is a good way to live after all. :D
4 comments:
Jesus was a friend of sinners, so I'm not sure there's anything wrong with having a wide circle of close people with different beliefs, etc.
HOWEVER, He was GOD so He could afford a little more wiggle room on that than you and I. But His disciples were people who (for all their interesting qualities) wanted to serve God and follow Him. He didn't go recruit 12 unbelievers and pour His concentrated teaching time into them. :]
I agree mrs. c
I think he was more talking about people who deliberately try to pull you down. They're not out to just be your friend, hang out, and have fun. They are in a destructive path and try to take you with them.
In my recent experience, the girls I was hanging out with often times left me feeling bad about myself. Horrible about people I loved. Was always cynical and never was positive to be around. It's almost I always had to have my guard up and so I could never relax. I have lots of friends that are not saved. Or friends of another religion. We just hang out and have fun together without trying to bash each other or each other's friends.
Yeah, when I was reading the Duggar book that quote about friends hit me like a gut punch. Took all the air out of me. We all have to be more circumspect about not our aquaintances but our close friendships. I can think of so many scriptures to back that quote up like "don't be deceived, bad company corrupts good morals."
I hate hearing bad things about people, gossip, things that put others in a bad light...I know a few people who just have a natural propensity for that sort of thing, and I try to avoid them....it saves me alot of heartache. True friends don't try to "one-up" each other, comparing who has things harder, or easier, ect. True friends that we can have true fellowship with, and encourage each other on this way of life in Jesus, they are precious.....
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