Association

Reading a sister's post today, I'm reminded about the importance of association.

It's okay to fellowship with all brethren. But it's important to spend time with those who are able to build you up - whose companionship ministers. Iron sharpens iron.

People are not perfect. There are some people that after spending time with them, though enjoyable, takes away faith. It's perfectly all right to fellowship but when it comes to issues like guarding my heart, I place that in higher priority than friendship alone.

I know, it's the shalom peace of God that guards my heart. So follow where there's peace. Where there's no peace, do not continue.

Not all friendships edify. So it's important to value friends by the words they speak. (the last thing I want, is someone speaking bad over my life and dropping rotten seeds into my heart, even unintentionally)

Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. (Matthew 12:34)

Death and life are in the power of the tongue and those who love it will eat its fruit. (Proverbs 18:21)

He who guards his lips guards his life,
but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin. (Proverbs 13:3)

The heart of the wise teaches his mouth,
And adds learning to his lips.
Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones. (Proverbs 16:22-24)


Association. So important:-

He who walks with the wise grows wise,
but a companion of fools suffers harm. (Proverbs 13:20)

Note, it doesn't say, a companion of the ungodly. So one can be godly (since it is the gift of righteousness) and be a fool (having the holy spirit does not mean one is automatically wise. That's why Paul prayed that for the Ephesus church to receive the spirit of wisdom - Ephesians 1:17)

Believers should seek wisdom. But not all believers do. And one can tell from their spoken words...

Note also, elsewhere it says blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly (Psalms 1:1) The wisdom one seeks should be from the Lord - sarkal, not harkim (spelling?) wisdom.