Prov.13:20 – ”He who walks with wise men will be wise,
But the companion of fools will suffer harm.”
Can we learn anything from the smartest man in the world? In this one passage there are two lessons for us and they are both about with whom we associate. The wisest man in the world says, it is important that we associate with the right people and avoid association with the wrong people.
Wise people in the Bible were successful people. Wisdom is the art of being successful, of forming the correct plan to gain the desired results (Definition from New Bible Dictionary, InterVarsity Press). They had been blessed by God and used these blessings to help themselves and others.
Our parents were trying to protect us but we thought they were trying to rob us from having fun. When in reality they were trying to save us from harms way or suffering according to Solomon. Can you see the person’s face or remember the name of the one your parents didn’t want you to associate? Are you like me thinking man I wished I had listened to them? I wrote a Pump Up several months ago and it was “Show Me Your Friends and I Will Show You Your Future.” Solomon is saying the same thing only he said it 3,000 years before anyone.
If you answer yes to that question then you will want to associate with wise people. You cannot say I want to be successful and associate with fools. God’s word promises that association with the foolish will only bring harm to you. Who are the “foolish” people Solomon is referencing in Proverbs? They are the ones who know what they are doing is wrong and they don’t care. They go right on doing what they know is wrong. Listen to this question, “If a “foolish” person doesn’t care about his life do you think for one minute he will care about yours?” Make Your Life Profitable Associate With The Right People. Think On These: Knowledge knows a fact and wisdom knows what to do with that fact. Advice is that which the wise don’t need and the fools won’t take. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word
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Matt. 7:12 - “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, …”
Zig stood over the ball, looked at the hole and as he drew the club back and made the birdie putt, he looked at his son and asked him, “Were you cheering for me?” His son immediately answered, “I always cheer for you dad.” What would our answer be to our loved ones if they asked us that question, “Were you cheering for me?”
Yet, Jesus gave us a life lesson that never becomes outdated when He said, “treat people the same way you want them to treat you.” This is Jesus' most important lesson that He ever taught. I am sure we all would rather be cheered for in this life than be criticized. So why is it that we find it so hard to treat others the way we want to be treated? The Pharisees criticized Jesus for healing on the Sabbath, but when one of their animals got incapacitated they immediately went to help regardless if it were the Sabbath or not. Jesus’ life lesson here will never become outdated when he said, “Treat people the way you want to be treated,” plain and simple.
He never ever called his wrestlers names or belittled them in any way when they were on the mat wrestling or any other place. Coach Hampe was the Cheerleader for his wrestlers and I am sure some of those boys won matches because they didn’t want to let their coach down who was cheering them on from the edge of the mat. I believe Coach Hampe was living out the teachings of Jesus by treating people the way he would want to be treated.
You not only can but you absolutely need to break this pattern. Become a positive influence in someone’s life today. Be a cheerleader to others because we all know we can accomplish more with positive reinforcement than negative criticism. Think on These: Blowing out someone else’s candle won’t make yours shine any brighter. Criticizing another man’s garden doesn’t keep weeds out of your own. The difference between coaching and criticizing is your attitude. Stay Pumped, Gary A Serago Minister of God's Word |
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