Not long ago I tried to befriend someone, we got together nearly once a week and I was learning to love her. I knew her reputation wasn't the best but I wanted to help her. Someone wiser than I warned me that she was using me to get to my son. So I became a little cautious and I told my son that I sure would like to know if she wanted to be a Christian or was just using me. He showed me what kind of texts she was sending him and it nearly did me in. Filthy stuff, not at all Christian. I was very disappointed but should have asked God for guidance in that friendship. The someone wiser than I was right, I was being used. Just an example of choosing friends and being cautious.
The Bible has some good instructions regarding this subject and I will always be more careful.
Matthew 7:16 "You will know them by their fruits."
1 Corinthians 15:33 "Do not be deceived, evil company corrupts good habits."
Psalm 28:3 "Do not take me away with the wicked and with the workers of iniquity, who speak peace to their neighbors, but evil is in their hearts."
Psalm 41:9 "Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me."
Psalm 55:21 "The words of his mouth were smoother than butter; but war was in his heart; His words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords."
Proverbs 11:13 "A tale bearer reveals secrets, but he who is of faithful spirit conceals a matter."
Proverbs 12:26 "The righteous should choose his friends carefully. For the way of the wicked leads them astray."
Proverbs 16:28 "A perverse man sows strife, and a whisperer separates the best of friends."
Proverbs 19:6,7 "Many entreat the favor of nobility, and every man is a friend to one who gives gifts. All the brothers of the poor hate him; how much more do his friends go far from him! He may pursue them with words, yet they abandon him."
Proverbs 20:6 "Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, but who can find a faithful man?
More on tomorrow, these verses reminded me of an incident in high school. I always tried to help the underling, if you understand what I mean, those who no one wanted to befriend. So that is exactly what I did. I noticed after our friendship had gone on for a while, that I started picking up some of her traits, not words but character traits, hard to describe but I was young, a freshman in high school and it dawned on me what was happening to me, fortunately for me she quit school and I didn't have to terminate my friendship. It is so subtle, it is hard to recognize right off the start. So be very careful who you pick for friends. You can be friendly and kind but don't have to associate with them. Grandma Joan
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