Birds of a feather

1 Cor. 15:33; Jer. 15:17; Prov 13:20; 18:24; 24:1 28:7; 29:13

My mom use to say 'Birds of a Feather Flock Together'. In other words, we have a tendency to collect around those who think, act, talk and feel as we do about life.

Sometimes because of loneliness, or interest or habit we keep loyalties with individuals who no longer leave a good wake in our lives. Are the tendencies and attributes of those we spend time with something we admire? Do we want to be like those we call soul mates or friends? We can not choose our families but we can draw boundaries; and we can choose our friends. What do we look for in our associations? No one looks for liars, cheaters, prideful, boastful, immoral, manipulative, fearful, individuals. We look for integrity, honesty, wisdom and prudence. We ask our children to hang out with the right crowd. But do we?

There were times in my life when boredom, loneliness and foolishness caused me brush up against and hang around wrong influences. I paid the price more than once for that lack of wisdom. What attributes do we want to see in our lives? Those are the influences we need to seek out.

It is true that we are in the world and it is true that we are to go to all the world. Jesus ate with sinners and spent much time with those with very distasteful traits. But He influence them; not visa verse. He specifically taught us to be in the world not of the world. Now how can we do that? Boundaries, that's how. We are the salt of the earth. If the salt looses it's saltiness then it is no longer used as salt. If we become like the world around us we loose our ability to influence the world for Christ, just as salt looses it's ability to influence the flavor of food.

Do not be deceived. Those we spend time with will influence our life. ( 1Cor 15:33). If we want to be more like Christ we need to open our heart to Him and those like Him; and we need to use wisdom and place healthy boundaries toward those not like Him.