Proverbs 12:26 (NIV)

The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

“Show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future.” This old maxim still rings true today. Who we hang out with is who we will ultimately become like. Depending on which people you choose, this can be a good thing or a bad thing. English preacher Thomas Fuller said, “He’s my friend that speaks well of me behind my back.”

Moran Cerf, a neuroscientist at Northwestern University, has been studying decision-making for over a decade and has uncovered insightful research about the psychological effects of the company we keep. He states, “The more we study engagement, we see time and again that just being next to certain people actually aligns your brain with them. This means the people you hang out with actually have an impact on your engagement with reality beyond what you can explain. And one of the effects is you become alike.” This scientific discovery exposes a timeless truth about our circle of influence.

1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV)

Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”

The good news is that we get to choose who we keep company with. We aren’t forced to have certain friends. But let’s make the distinction between friends and acquaintances. As followers of Christ, we are called to love everyone, but that does not mean we are called to be close friends with everyone. Jesus loved and interacted with anyone and everyone, but He shared close relationships with only a select few, His inner circle of friends, the 12 disciples. We are not called to isolate ourselves from people, but we do need to insulate ourselves from the wrong people. When we only focus on the problems around us, we can easily miss the power within us. Associate with everyone, but only make an alliance with a few.