Proverbs 13:20
“He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.” Introduction: Hello, boys and girls, today we are going to learn about how your friends effect you. This is a story of two b rothers. Their names are Jordan and Lucas. Jordan was much more quick in his decisions and wasn’t careful about who he hung around. Lucas being the younger brother looked up to his older brother, but he never liked who his friends were. Jordan would go to all kinds of places he wasn’t supposed to go, and do things he wasn’t supposed to do. Lucas however was very careful about who he spent time with, even though he was younger, he saw that you become like the people you spend time with. Jordan, after being around the wrong people for so long began to change, he started disobeying his parents and skipping church and school. He didn’t care about what his parents said anymore. He let the people around him influence him into changing. Lucas saw this and it hurt him greatly to see his brother change like this. He prayed for his brother, and he also prayed that he wouldn’t make the same mistakes. Finally he prayed not only for friends that would be good for him, but that he could be a good friend to the people in his life. No one more than his brother Jordan. The Bible says in Proverbs 13:20. “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.” There are people that are told about in the Bible that had bad friends and good friends and became like the other. Lot, for example, is talked about in Genesis 13.9-13. He chose to live and make friends with those in Sodom. In Verse 13 it says, "They were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly". This is who He chose to be around and become friends with. At the end, he finds himself begging God not to complete His will in destroying the city, his wife turns into a pillar of salt, and he is the daddy of his grandchildren. Johnathan and David on the other hand are a completely different story. Johnathan, the son of King Saul, and David the well-known giant killer. These childhood friends had a love in friendship. They were willing to risk their lives for each other. Johnathan was willing to do what was right despite the consequences and David was a "Man of God's own heart". So earlier we read that, “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.” That means you whoever you are close friends with, they will rub off on you and you will rub off on them. So if you have bad friends, you will become like them. But if you have good friends, they will make you better. For example, Who likes to play with play dough? I still do. Take two different colors. They represent you and your friend. They are both different; both unique. As you chose someone to befriend, spend time with them, do things with them, the two of you mix. You become like them and they become like you. As you mix two colors together, you can still see parts of each of the two colors. But then you can see a new color as well. You can no longer take the two colors apart completely. They have become part of the other. That’s what happens when you get close with someone. Your friends effect you. If you have bad friends, you will become like them. So be careful who you chose to be friends with. Jordan chose friends who were bad for him and he became like them. Lot chose to hang around with bad influences and it did not end well for him either. David and Johnathan on the other hand were both people who followed the Lord and were good friends toward each other. They helped each other grow closer to the Lord. Just like the playdough cannot be separated completely any longer, neither could they. They became like eachother, and that was a good thing because they made each other more like God. So, think about who you are friends with. Are they good for you? Would your parents be happy you are friends with them? Are they someone you would like to be like? Do they encourage you to be more like Jesus? Do they try and get you to do wrong or skip church? Who you are around, you will start to become like them. And, make sure YOU are good for your friends. Because just as you will become who they are, they will also become who you are. And you want to make them more like Jesus, not take them away from Him.
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Hearing alone is not enough to listen It has been said the quieter you become the more you hear, and I believe it is true. There is a sense of noise in the silence. This assignment is nothing new to me. I am the total people watcher. I observe people and situations constantly. I tend to be the more quite one while my mind is exploding with thoughts. There is so much you can learn when you just listen. At times while observing people I wish I had not heard what I hear. While other times what I hear peaks my interest and I desire to hear more. Most people do not listen to the full meaning of the word. Most people do not listen with the intent to understand. Most people listen with the intent to reply. What I learned most from this assignment specifically was how much I listen with more than my ears. I can listen to people when they are not verbally speaking. Actions speak louder than words. Simply listening to what people speak verbally they may sound happy, and excited. However, upon observing what they say with their body language is quite the contrary. A discouraged disposition, even though it is able to be heard in their speech alone, adding another sense such as sight can emphasize the fact. Hearing alone is not enough to listen. To hear means “the faculty of perceiving sounds”. However to listen is to “give one’s attention to a sound”. Multiple senses are a given. To listen also means “to hear something with thoughtful intention” or “to give consideration”. Hearing the words are the first step, but what you do with what you hear is what matters. Listening implies hearing the words of the speaker, but also the meaning of those words and the message they are trying to get across, paying attention to unspoken signs, asking questions if you are unsure of the meaning, and listening with the eyes; giving full attention to the one speaking. To fully grasp and comprehend the thoughts and ideas of the one you are listening to, you must make a conscious effort to do more than hear what is being spoken, you must listen. |
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January 2023
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