Proximity Matters
“Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.”
Proverbs 13:20 NIV
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.
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 face-to-face questions.
Like Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise knowledge and insight.”
Turns out, God is the wisest mentor of all. So talk to Him throughout your day, learn from Him by reading Scripture, and spend time with others who also long to be more like Him.
Share your faith: We are all being discipled by someone. If you want to grow in the things of God, surround yourself with people who are seeking Him.
Prayer: God, I want to be more like You. Please bring people into my life that will draw me closer to You and surround me with Your wisdom. Give me the courage to step away from relationships that aren’t honoring You. I know that You created me, and [therefore You] know how life works best. I trust You and I’m looking to You! In Jesus’s name, Amen.
Note after sharing the devotional: Definitely a lesson I’m trying to re-relearn. What has made it worse in past seasons is the additional insanity on top of knowing a lesson I’ve needed to learn, and then repeating the same mistakes. See more in this post.