Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble. Proverbs 13:20
Have you ever noticed how the people around you quietly shape what you care about?
When Takeshi was growing up, he had a grandfather who loved golf. Grandfather bought him golf clubs and paid for lessons. But Takeshi found the game frustrating and was known to throw a club after a bad shot. He vowed he’d never play golf after his grandfather died. But then Takeshi met a friend named Kenji, who was crazy about golf. Weekend after weekend, Kenji talked Takeshi into golfing and soon Takeshi was playing every chance he got, talking about golf and even watching it on TV.
Friends have the power to do more than just get you to like golf. God’s book, the Bible, speaks a lot about the power of our inner circle—the handful of people who influence our decisions, attitudes, and faith. Scripture says, “Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble” (Proverbs 13:20) and ” … bad company corrupts good character” (1 Corinthians 15:33b).
This doesn’t mean we avoid people who are struggling or who don’t believe as we do. We’re to move toward them in genuine love and friendship. But it does mean that those in our inner circle—the people who speak into our decisions, shape our values, and influence our direction—should be those who walk with us toward God. One wise father told his son, “God will deliver you from the idols you confess but not from your friends.”[1]
Do your friends play a larger role in your life than you realized? Choose your inner circle wisely.
[1] Anderson, Brian, The Book of Acts: The Birth and Spread of the Early Church, Acts 18:23-19:2, YouTube, uploaded by Mission Hills Church, 1 June 2025, https://www.youtube.com/live/oXqc7KTskaU?si=43jCL4hQ6bTTFZgX. Accessed 15 June 2025.
