He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed. Proverbs 13:20 KJV
Welcome again to the book of one-line messages, where every sentence is a message on its own. One of the most important discoveries a man can make is to know the purpose for which he was formed and planted by God, and then another one is the discovery of the people that God has placed in his/her path towards the fulfilment of that purpose. Both of these issues are very important, and the question of eternity is answered by critical appraisal of both issues. So, how do we proceed?
First, there is a question of the wise. Who is wise? Now, the world sells knowledge for a price, and man can apply what he knows to understand what is required of him, but true wisdom comes from God. You can be smart and savvy, and know how to navigate your way through complex situations, but if what you have cannot guarantee you eternal life with God, what you have is not true wisdom as defined by God.
Knowledge is good, and understanding of your environment is also good, but none of these can replace the value of the wisdom that comes from God. God is the source of true wisdom; in fact, Jesus is called the Wisdom and Power of God. It means then that all men who are in Christ are the ones who are truly wise and whose lives can be emulated. They are the ones whose lives are put under the microscope here, and I am enjoined to either be wise by linking my life to Christ or to seek out those who already know Christ and follow their example so I can also be wise.
That is the power of the right kind of association. God has so ordained it that no man, born of woman since Adam, has all that he needs for life all by himself. There is an endowment in me that is a blessing to another person, and there is something in another that will be a blessing to me too. No man can form an island by himself; we all need the help, friendship or assistance of someone else to get to the place we are going. I must choose my companions carefully; I cannot afford to be careless about the things that are eternal. My friends say a lot about the person I am. The people I am comfortable around reveal the kind of person I could be if given the opportunity and the environment.
At no time am I actually alone. I am either trying to move into new circles or trying to break free from old ones. I cannot rise to the top by myself; God will orchestrate events that will help push me towards the place he has prepared for me. However, if I think I can do it on my own, it is likely that I will resist God's help and resort to self - help. It is likely that if the journey seems to be delayed and I am not getting what I want when I want it, I may seek alternatives to God. When you consider where the world is right now, you know it is a real danger.
All around me are both the wise and the fool, and where I stand or sit depends on who I know and follow myself. If it is God, he will always guide me in the path of wisdom. If it is the world and all its deceits, the end of it all is folly. And like all things that God speaks on, there are eternal consequences to all these things. God does not do anything for fun, and his grace cannot be taken for granted. He wants me to seek him, and he wants to help me on my journey of purpose and eternity. He will not force himself on me, but he will do all he can to convince me that his way is the best for me. After all that, the choice is up to me, but the consequences are already laid out by God. What is your decision? What is mine? His time of favour is here.
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