Choose Friends With Care

The Power of Influence

One of the strongest influences in our lives is our friends. The people we choose to spend time with will either help us draw closer to God or pull us away from Him.

The Bible gives us examples of both:

• The Good: Cornelius in Acts 10 invited his close friends and relatives to hear the gospel message.
• The Bad: Rehoboam in 2 Chronicles 10 listened to the poor advice of his peers, which ultimately cost him most of his kingdom.

The Warning Against Bad Company

The scriptures warn us to choose our friends carefully because the wicked can lead us astray (Proverbs 12:26; Proverbs 22:24-25). Many of us are familiar with the warning in 1 Corinthians 15:33:

“Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits.’”

When our closest friends do not share our faith, priorities, and principles, we invite unnecessary conflict into our lives. This can lead to difficult tests of our faith that we could have otherwise avoided.

Setting Wise Boundaries

This does not mean we should completely abandon friendships with non-Christians. However, we must ensure that our closest companions—those who have the most influence over us—are people who share our Christian values.

Some people have lost their faith by associating with worldly peers, thinking, “I can change them.” Unfortunately, it is usually the child of God who gets changed, and almost always for the worse.

Before giving his warning in 1 Corinthians 15:33, Paul writes, “Do not be deceived.” It is incredibly easy to deceive ourselves into thinking we are immune to the negative influence of others.

The Value of Godly Friendships

On the other hand, good friends can be a source of great strength. As the writer of Proverbs explains:

“As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.” (Proverbs 27:17)

We should choose our closest friends from among our brothers and sisters in Christ. They understand the trials we face, the importance of serving God, and the principles that guide our lives.

Through these relationships, we can lift each other up and encourage one another to do what is right (Hebrews 10:24-25).