Each day we have choices to make. We must choose what foods to
eat, what attitudes to have, and what friends to allow in our lives. We
have to keep in mind that our choices will either glorify God or they will
please our sinful nature. It's not always easy to choose what it right is
it? The world may look at us like we are weird if we choose to please God
instead of man. That is why it is so important to keep friends that will
encourage us to be godly women and men. If our close friends hold us
accountable to do what is right, then we will have an easier time choosing what
is good and right in the sight of God.
Proverbs 27:6 You
can trust what your friend says, even when it hurts. But your enemies want to
hurt you, even when they act nice.
We need to be very cautious when making
decisions. A cautious person is one who plans. As a Christian, we
need to plan our lives based on the Word of God and His way to live. We
need to realize that we have a sinful nature and if we do not purpose to follow
God's way, we will be tempted to sin and go our own way.
The plans of the
diligent lead to
profit as
surely as haste leads to poverty.
~ Proverbs 21:5
How do we seek to be more cautious in our
decision making? By living a life that seeks God's wisdom and turns from
our normal inclinations of wanting to sin. When you have a decision to
make, cry out to God for His guidance in the situation. Put Him first in
everything you do.
Another way to develop this character quality
is by learning from others and seeking godly counsel. Instead of making
quick decisions, sit down and think through the consequences. Maybe you
know of someone who had already gone through a similar situation that you can
talk to, or you can go to someone older and wiser and seek their godly
wisdom. That is why we need to keep friends that are willing to speak the
truth in love to us. Friends that are truly seeking God in their lives.
If we have friends who are not wanting to follow God's will for their life,
they can lead us astray. These friends are what we would call a bad
apple. Have you ever heard the saying "One bad apple can spoil the
bunch"? I believe that can be true because it says in 1 Corinthians
15:33:
Do not be misled: Bad
company
corrupts good
character.
This verse is telling us that who we hang out with has an effect
on our behavior. That is why we need to choose our company wisely.
This doesn't mean we can't be around those who are making bad choices, they
need us to be a good example to them and tell them about Jesus, but it is
saying we need to be careful in who we allow to be our close personal friends.
You know the ones who give us advice and counsel. The ones who we
go to when we need help in our lives.
It is important to instill this character
quality of cautiousness in your children at a young age, so they realize how
important it is to seek God and His wisdom in decisions they make. They
need to be quick to listen to the advice of godly individuals like you,
and they need to understand that God's ways are always the best ways.
They need to see you seeking God in everything.
I encourage you to pray about being more
cautious with your choices, life, words and actions. We represent Christ
if we are saved, and we need to be a good witness for Him in everything we do
and say!
I have made a wonderful little book for you
to download that has some great verses to memorize that will help your children
make good choices when making friends. To download it, just click on the
link below the image.
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