Proximity Matters. No matter your age, religion, or cultural values, who you spend time with tells a lot about what’s important to you. The people you choose to spend time with will greatly impact the trajectory of your life.
“Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.”
{Proverbs 13:20}
It makes sense, doesn’t it? If you surround yourself with people making terrible decisions, it won’t be long before you start acting like them. Or you might be blamed for another’s poor decisions simply by association. You will inevitably “suffer harm.”
We always want to love those who are far from God, but there’s a difference between loving someone and joining them. Instead, if you walk with the wise—watching, asking, learning, mimicking—you will also become wise in the process.
Why proximity matters
So what kind of person do you want to be? And who in your life would you call wise? Maybe it’s a parent, grandparent, pastor, or teacher. Maybe it’s your neighbor, coach, or someone else you admire for all the right reasons.
Whether it’s intentional or not, we are all being discipled by someone. So if you want to walk with the wise, proximity matters.
Meet them for coffee or lunch. Join them on a walk. Invite them into your home. Learn from their experiences. Read the Bible with them. Ask them questions.
Like Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise knowledge and insight.”
God is the wisest mentor of all. You can grow wiser this very day by talking to Him, learning from Him by reading Scripture, and spending time with others who long to be more like Him.
Planning for your future
Take advantage of the time you have now to plan what you want your life to look like in the next year. Proper planning of who you choose to allow in your life will make or break your future success and satisfaction. Don’t just “hope” for things to improve, take action today!
This post is part of the daily devotional found in the YouVersion Bible App.
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