Men's Devotional: For Men, by MenSample

## The Wrong Crowd Remember when you were a kid and your parents warned you about the dangers of hanging out with the wrong crowd at school? With their years of wisdom, your parents knew that you are who your friends are. And if you’re now the parent saying this same thing to your kids, you know from experience the reality of this adage. Several times in the Old Testament God specifically warned the Israelites not to associate too closely with foreigners. Yet elsewhere in Scripture God encourages us to love everyone—other Christians, difficult neighbors, even our enemies. So how do these two commands fit together? Go back to a parent’s perspective. God didn’t want His people forming alliances with people who held value systems that were the complete opposite of His character. The foreign nations surrounding Israel worshiped many gods, and their religious ceremonies included immoral rituals. God knew how easily influenced humans are, and He clearly didn’t want His people involved in these practices. Just as a parent guides an adolescent through the stormy waters of peer relationships, God reminded Israel to stay focused on Him. The same holds true for us. God wants us to love everyone around us. But He wants us to form our closest friendships with people who hold values that are in line with God’s character. People who are headed in the same direction in life. People who love God and who help us love Him better. If the phrase “you are who your friends are” reflects the truth, what do your friends say about who you are? If you’ve hung onto a friend who drags you down spiritually or one who leads you to act or think in ways that aren’t healthy, maybe you need to set some new boundaries. Make it your goal to change that relationship, either by making a new effort to influence this friend for Christ or by cutting down on your association with Him. Perhaps you simply need to invest in new friends who share your core beliefs. Initiating deeper friendships with other men who love Christ is never easy. We’re guys, after all. But if you’re persistent your efforts will pay rich dividends. Do you have friends who pull you down spiritually? How can you limit or reshape these friendships to change how they affect you?