Connecting with the Right People

Before we came to have a relationship with God, we chose our friends for a variety of personal reasons. Some of us even had different categories of friendships, to cover our different interests. Let’s take a look at our possible friendship roster:

• We may have had the Friday night partying friends who were always there to share one too many drinks and a night on the town.
• We had the business friends, those who could help us to achieve the level of success we wanted, because they knew all the important people (or so we thought).
• Some of us even had a friend or two who we considered “laid back”. Our so-called laid back friends were the ones who were perfectly content to listen to us gossip, watch us get ourselves into terrible relationships without saying a word, and agree with us when we complained about our situations, our spouse, our employer…you get the idea.

That Was Then…This is Now

Once you come into the kingdom of God and begin to develop a genuine relationship with Him, some amazing things will start to happen in your life. God will start pruning out the people that aren’t right for you and bring in the people who are. Your job in this process is to be open to God and realize that He knows what’s best for you, even when you don’t.

Now, God doesn’t judge individuals according to the world’s standards. He’s not interested in bringing party buddies or people who agree with your every move to your life. God wants you to connect with people who will strengthen you, encourage you, and ultimately bring you closer to Him.

Here’s what your Creator has to say about choosing friends wisely. As you read the following Scriptures, prayerfully consider who you allow into your inner circle of friends.

He who walks with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed. Proverbs 13:20 KJV

Stop becoming unevenly yoked with unbelievers. What partnership can righteousness have with lawlessness? What fellowship can light have with darkness? 2 Corinthians 6:14 ISV

Now I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who create divisions and sinful enticements that oppose the teaching you have learned. Stay away from them. Romans 16:17 ISV

Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother that walks disorderly. 2 Thessalonians 3:6 KJV

Proper Perspective

When reading these Scriptures, it’s important to know that God certainly does not want you to stop working with the lost, the downtrodden, and those who need to hear the message of salvation. That is always a priority. When Jesus came to earth, He was always with the outcasts and those who felt they were without hope. That is the entire message of salvation, “to seek and to save those who are lost.”

The above scriptures also do not mean that we should take a judgmental stance toward people in our lives, removing ourselves from their lives in a hurtful manner. What it DOES mean, is that we need to use wisdom and prayerfully consider who we are allowing to influence our lives. It is true that we will become who we hang around with. That is why it is vital to remove ourselves from people who have no problem gossiping, lying, fault finding, or living in blatant sin.

With every decision you make, rely on God to show you the right way to go about things. When you stay on His path and walk in His light, God will connect you with fruitful individuals who will bring wisdom and encouragement to your life. Make the decision today to make room for all that God has for you, including positive connections with other believers.

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Colorado USA