He who walks [as a companion] with wise men will be wise, But the companions of [conceited, dull-witted] fools [are fools themselves and] will experience harm.
Proverbs 13:20 AMP
The Context and Focus:
Again, we come to the book of one-line messages, where each sentence is loaded with messages and instructions for those who desire to be wise. As always, there is the power of choice given to every one of us, and we can choose how we will walk, where we will walk, as well as with whom we will walk. It has to be emphasised that there is power in association, as well as power in positioning. A man will go only as far as the strength and depth of his associatiin will permit. We speak about the value of networking, and this can only be fully understood in the context of the value or disdain you get from the power of the people you move with or are comfortable with. It is very difficult to argue that you are not like the people you are always found with, whether good or bad. As long as you have common interests or pursuits with a group of people, you will be known by the focus of that group. This is why I have to be cautious about who or what I am associated with.
The Message:
There are a lot of verses of the Bible, as well as wise sayings that are popular with the world, which support the fact that I must be careful and deliberate about who I associate with. One reason why this becomes even more poignant is because the strength of my association will always impact my earthly reality as well as my eternal relevance. A few of these wise sayings will suffice here: the bible says: Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character. 1 Corinthians 15:33 NIV. The world will also say: 'Show me your friends, and I will tell you who you are'. Another wise saying of the world indicates that if a sheep spends enough time with a dog, it will end up eating faeces. Yet another wise saying of the world is that if a leaf stays long enough in contact with soap, the leaf will end up becoming soap. It is quite difficult to separate a man from the people he walks or moves with. That is the power of the verse above.
The Conclusion:
It is also important to note that walking as a companion to the wise is not a one-off exercise, but a lifestyle. You don't do it once and then stop when it gets inconvenient or uncomfortable. Those who seek to be wise know that seasons of hurt will come, but they press on regardless. They keep their eyes on the prize, which is to be like the person they seek to emulate or imitate. I also note that there is no sitting on the fence on this one. You are either moving in the direction of the wise, or in the direction of the fool. You can't do both at the same time. As I take careful stock of my life, carefully considering my current pursuits and priorities, I can actually determine where I am headed. I may be able to deceive many people with hypocrisy or eye-service for some time, but it will not last. My words and actions will soon merge, and people will know me for who I am. The unfortunate thing will be to lose eternal life with God because of my present choices. It is not worth it. May the Lord help me walk right, so I can end right. God's time of favour is here.
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