Who Are You Hanging Out With?

I found a second good quote yesterday that relates to my previous post. What’s interesting to me is that I wasn’t searching for a quote. I was simply walking in the mall, redeeming the time before the next meeting I had for the day. At our local mall, they have a lot of pictures and quotes on the wall. It is a rather helpful way to cover up the fact of the many vacant stores in the mall. Vacant stores are bad for business but the quotes and pictures are good for my brain.

I have walked in the mall plenty of times. I have read several quotes and admired some of the interesting historical pictures from our community. But yesterday this quote jumped off the wall and caught my attention. So now, I share it with you.

“The fastest way to change yourself is to hang out with people who are already the way you want to be.” – Reid Hoffman

Wow, that perfectly goes along with yesterday’s quote: “We cannot become what we want to be by remaining what we are.” (Max Depree). Both are dealing with change. Life is about change. We are changing for the better or changing for the worse. Our choices and our companions can have a huge impact on who we are and who we are becoming.

Do you want to change for the better? Then hang out with better people. This is not just pop-psychology or self-help kind of advice. This is rooted in Biblical truth. Who you hang out with will affect you.

1 Corinthians 15:33 (ESV)
Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”

Proverbs 13:20 (ESV)
Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. 

Proverbs 28:7 (ESV)
The one who keeps the law is a son with understanding, but a companion of gluttons shames his father.

Now I am not saying you need to call on some old friends and tell them you won’t be seeing them anymore. That is a bit harsh. But, you can and should evaluate your friendships and you should be choosing some friends who will help you to become all that God would have you to be. You want to be wise? Hang out with some wise friends. You want to grow in your relationship with the Lord? Hang out with some people who are growing in their relationship with the Lord. Do you desire to grow in your prayer life? Get next to some people who are praying people, spend time praying with them.

Those of us who are parents often tell our children they should be careful about who they hang out with. Well, it may be a good idea to remind ourselves of that same truth. How sad it is to see lives changed for the worse because of poor friendships and their detrimental influence. I have seen people quit going to church because they started hanging out with people who did not attend church. I have heard of those who have turned their back on the Bible because they started hanging out with those who scoffed at the Word of God. Morals can be radically changed when you run with those whose morals are loose at best.

You may think, “But I don’t have a lot of good friends.” or “I don’t know too many people that I want to be like.” So why bother? Well, it’s important because who you hang out with is who you will become. I am sure you can find at least one person you can look up to and learn from. I know there are plenty of biographies and autobiographies that can give you access to a person worth following and learning from.

A better tomorrow may only be a better friend away. So, what are you waiting for? Go out and meet a new friend because a great way to change yourself is to “hang out with people who are already the way you want to be.”

Your Friend in the journey,

Pastor Mike