Proverbs 13:20 says, "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed." I have always loved what this verse says to me. It certainly exhorts us all to stay close to people of wisdom and character. As we do, their wisdom and integrity will rub off on us! We will see how they respond to tough situations. The wisdom they use to deal with life's issues serves as an example for us from which we can learn and grow. So, if I hang around wise people, I will become wise like them! We can therefore conclude that if I hang around a fool, than I'll become a fool for the same reasons. The scripture however goes deeper than saying that I'll simply become a fool, it says that I will be destroyed!

The word "destroyed" carries the meaning of "losing the mind that I once possessed." So if I hang around foolish people, I risk the danger of losing the ability to think clearly. I will begin to make foolish decisions. I will no longer approach situations with soundness of mind. My ability to see things clearly and correctly will be perverted and my reactions will be based on wrong perception. I will arrive at the wrong conclusion and the outcome can be disastrous! It becomes fairly easy to see how this type of mindset will eventually lead to someone's destruction!

When I was a teenager, my father always told me not to hang around a certain group of kids. They were always getting into trouble and he did not want their influence to affect my life. I am thankful for my dad's warning! Let's associate with people of Godly scriptural wisdom and avoid the destruction that foolishness can bring. Have a great week!

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