Poetry – Proverbs 13

We have been reading the book of Wisdom for the past few weeks.  Perhaps after reading, you wonder,  “How can I develop the kind of wisdom that we find in Proverbs?”

Perhaps amongst the verses in today’s passage, you can find a clue…

Bible Passage:  Proverbs 13

Ok… I admit.  After reading the passage again, actually there are many verses that can help us cultivate the wisdom that God wants us to have.  But I would like to just concentrate on Proverbs 13:20

He who walks with wise men will be wise,
But the companion of fools will be destroyed.

When I first read this verse, it caused me to think back to the old days when I was still in school.  For most of us older ones, whenever we think of former times, we will always say that those were the good old days.

Many things that happened then did satisfy the lust of the my eyes, my flesh and my pride of life.

And truly… in terms of fun and pleasure in the world – those were the good old days.  I was surrounded by friends and with the most popular kids in school.  I was in the school swimming team and tennis team.  I led the school orchestra.  I sang in a pop group and performed on national tv and before the prime minister.  I was part of the craziest and funnest class around.  I was doing well in my studies.  The friends or teammates that I mixed with was in a single word – ‘awesome’  It can be said that I was having the best of times.

But what was not ‘awesome’ was the fact that God was never a significant part of my life.  My friends and my activities never brought me closer to God.  In fact… all that I was part of actually led me further and further away from God.

Wisdom Through Relationships

You know, people naturally begin to imitate the people they spend the most time with.

If your friends like to gossip, you will most likely find yourself gossiping after spending time with them.  If they like to drink coffee at Starbucks, chances are you will also like to drink that Venti sized Mocha Frapp the next time you are out.  If they like a certain genre of music, the next thing you know, you will have a CD of that genre.

And that was what was happening to me. I adopted the way they think, the way they speak and the way they behaved.  And I was certainly not becoming more Christlike each day.

Mixing with the Wise

I started off by asking the question, “How can you develop the kind of wisdom described in Proverbs”?

Well… one place to start is by cultivating friendships with wise people (Prov 13:20).  Relationships are the key to making that happen.

Whenever we talk of ‘the wise’ – we think of ‘sage wise’.  Like the wise old man in the mountain who spouts sayings that if you can understand – it will show you are wise 🙂

But actually from the Bible, we know that the wise are those who know God, fear Him and keep His commandments.  And by mixing with these wise people, we will in turn learn to be wise.

One example we read about in the Bible is Moses’ relationship with his wise father-in-law, Jethro.  We all know that Moses was having trouble dealing with the problems of the Israelites but through his relationship with Jethro, he gained from Jethro’s wisdom and set up a system that helped him lead the people for the next forty years.

Mixing with the Foolish

But if we read Prov 13:20 again, you will see that it is not enough to choose wise friends.  We are also warned about friendships with those described as “fools”.

The point is not to try and avoid contact with foolish people (as that is impossible) but rather, know that the company that we keep can have a profound influence on us and we should avoid being overly familiar with them.

We should not listen to their advice or emulate their habits.

Again – the foolish in the Bible refers to those who do not know, fear nor honour God.

Even back then, many of my friends had questionable values system.  And since they are not grounded in the Word of God or even believe in it, there were many advice given then that would be disastrous for a Christian to heed.

And I truly thank God that despite being immersed in this company, some fragments of His Word still remained in my heart then that kept me from sinning against Him.

So… Choose Friends Wisely

We always tell our children that the should choose their friends wisely.  But as adults, we tend to forget this teaching ourselves.

And instead of telling you all what I think, I thought that I should shut up and let God’s Words speak for itself.  After all… only God is truly wise and if we want to be the best, we should learn from the BEST!  And that is why we should read the Bible regularly.

“The righteous should choose his friends carefully,
For the way of the wicked leads them astray.”
Proverbs 12:26

“Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
‘I will dwell in them and walk among them.
I will be their God, and they shall be My people.’
Therefore ‘Come out from among them and be separate,’ says the Lord.”
2 Corinthians 6:14-17

“… in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
“…all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned…”
2 Timothy 3:1-5, 12-14

“Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man do not go,
Lest you learn his ways and set a snare for your soul.”
Proverb 22:24-25

“Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits.’ Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.”
1 Corinthians 15:33-34

“If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing…. From such withdraw yourself.”
1 Timothy 6:3, 5

“My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.”
Proverbs 1:10

“Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evil. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn away from it and pass on.”
Proverbs 4:14-15

“…our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases.
Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.
They have mouths, but they do not speak;
Eyes they have, but they do not see;
They have ears, but they do not hear…
Those who make them are like them;
So is everyone who trusts in them.”
Psalm 115:3-8

“The thoughts of the righteous are right,
But the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.”
Proverbs 12:5

“A prudent man conceals knowledge,
But the heart of fools proclaims foolishness.”
Proverbs 12:23

“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
But he who heeds counsel is wise.”
Proverbs 12:15

“Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge,
But he who hates correction is stupid.”
Proverbs 12:1

“A man shall eat well by the fruit of his mouth,
But the soul of the unfaithful feeds on violence.”
Proverbs 13:2

“Forsake foolishness and live, and go in the way of understanding.”
Proverbs 9:6

“Alas, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity,
A brood of evildoers, children who are corrupters!
They have forsaken the Lord,
They have provoked to anger the Holy One of Israel….”
Isaiah 1:4

“…who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.”
Romans 1:32

“Put away from you a deceitful mouth, and put perverse lips far from you.
Let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you.
Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established.
Do not turn to the right or the left; remove your foot from evil.”
Proverbs 4:24-27

Indeed I want Jesus to walk with me so that I will always be sure I am with the wise and will not be destoyed because of my foolishness by mixing with fools.

This video on the song “I Want Jesus to Walk WIth Me” may not be everyone’s cup of tea but as it is sung in a spiritual style… but I quite enjoy it and maybe you will too 🙂