“The one who walks with the wise will become wise,
but a companion of fools will suffer harm.”
(Proverbs 13:20)
You hear it all the time that you need to watch the company you keep. One motivational speaker once said that “You are the average of the five people you spent the most time with.” I don’t know how accurate the particulars of that statement are, but I do know that the idea that we must watch the company we keep did not originate with the self-help gurus of today. That idea comes straight from the pages of Scripture. Proverbs 13:20 says, “The one who walks with the wise will become wise, but a companion of fools will suffer harm.” If you have a goal that you’re striving to achieve, then being around people who have the same goal will be helpful. This is why things like CrossFit gyms are successful. The community of people makes working out less of a chore because you’re surrounded with individuals seeking the same goal; to be good at working out and taking selfies (lol). I’m kidding.
The Bible says a part of wisdom is knowing which types of people to surround yourself with. If you’re around negative people all the time, do not be surprised if you start feeling a little negative yourself. Wisdom says that sometimes you may need to gain a little distance if you find yourself more influenced by fools. I say “sometimes” because there are times when hanging out with fools is what you need to do, not to be influenced by them, but to extend grace to them. Why do I say that? Because it’s what Jesus did for us.
The “wise” religious leaders of Jesus’ day often complained that Jesus hung out with sinners and tax collectors. The Pharisees often wondered how Jesus could spend significant time with wicked people? Even Jesus’ twelve disciples weren’t the most outstanding people. They struggled with anger, greed, and pride. They often lacked faith, and when Jesus needed them, most were quick to abandon him. But Jesus spent time with them. And what the religious often failed to recognize was that he spent time with sinners, tax collectors, and rag-tag disciples, and he also spent some time with Pharisees who trusted in their own wisdom rather than in God. Jesus hung out with them not to be influenced by them but to be an influence among them. He hung out with them to show them compassion, love, and grace. And all of us have to be extra thankful that despite our foolish ways, we serve a God who didn’t just walk among the wise, although he could have, but came down to hang with a bunch of fools like us and keep us from the biggest threat to our lives, namely our sin. So be wise but always seek opportunities to bring the light of Jesus to those walking in darkness.