You Become Like Those You Spend Time With
“He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.” Proverbs 13:12
For the first 3 weeks of Main Camp in 2013, it rained. No, I mean it REALLY rained…not just the daily afternoon thunder shower, but throughout the majority of EVERY day it rained. Of course rain didn’t slow down the campers or counselors. We just pressed on and had a blast anyway.
One of the fashion statements I noticed that came with the rain was the plethora of Hunter Rain Boots. If you don’t own a pair, you have definitely seen them. They are tall, high quality, pricey rain boots with the label HUNTER emblazoned on the side of the boots so as not to mistake them for a different, (perhaps lesser fashionable) boot.
I am not mocking them or those who wear them, in fact, I have a pair. I love them. But as I noticed the ubiquitousness of the boots on campers and counselors alike (even the head staff had them by the second week of the monsoons) it reminded me of how much we influence each other, wanting to be “like” those around us so as to make sure we fit in.
Fashion is an easy way to do that, but of course that is just what we see on the outside. God made us and knows that we will conform to the circumstances we are in and the company we keep. I always tell the girls in Bible class “you become like those you spend time with”. It’s a pretty simple concept but it can be a tough one to apply.
If we look at the friends and social groups we spend most of our time with it may not be a surprise that we are conforming more to the world than to Christ and His character. And no, we don’t need to live in a Christian bubble or only spend time with our Christian friends, but we do need to be thoughtful about who we are modeling our lives after….who are we “copying”? Who influences us and who (and how) are we influencing those around us? Take a moment to think and pray about this and to ask The Lord to provide the Christian community you (and I) need to become more like Him.
Heavenly Father, help me to love those around me well, and yet make sure I am putting myself in friendships and circles where I will be encouraged to become more like you. Please show me where and how to do that. Make me that kind of friend and influence to others as well. In Jesus name. Amen