Friends Shape Friends! No. 179

Proverbs 13:20, “He that walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.”

Isn’t amazing how our children grow up so quickly? It seems like one blink of my eye that our eldest son (who is nearing 44 years old) was born. I don’t know where the years have flown.

I remember when my children were babies, and as I experienced beautiful moments with them, I thought I would remember the moments forever. But now they are fading from my memory. My little babies grew up to be teenagers. Then they married, and now they are raising their own children. My oldest grand-daughter will soon be 21 years so maybe it won’t be too many years before she is married and starts raising her children.

When my children were teens, I raised them on the above Scripture. I like the Knox translation which says, “Wise company brings wisdom; fool he ends that fool befriends.” How true this is. Peer pressure is a big pull upon children in their teen years. You can be the godliest parents in the world, but if your children get into the wrong company, your influence as a parent is weakened.

The thing we have to guard more than anything else in the teen years is the company our children keep. We must encourage godly Christian friends for our children. We must watch that they do not become involved in situations where there is bad company. Homeschooling is a great blessing in this regard. And of course, if your teens are part of a big family, they have friends right in their own home. Teens love company and love socializing and what a great blessing it is when they have their best friends continually on tap!

It is also important to try and find suitable friends for your children before they reach their teenage years so these friendships are already established. A good way to do this is to be involved in a good church or prospering home fellowship that has other families the ages of your children.

Our sons, who are in the forties, are still best friends with the boys they were friends with in their teens. They went to church together, played together, went camping together, made go-karts together and later did moto-cross together. And now, after all these years, they are still serving the Lord together and accomplishing mighty things for God.

How true are the words of Proverbs 27:17,”Iron whets iron, friend shapes friend.”  Our children will become like their friends. This of course applies to us too. We will become like the people we associate with. What a blessing to rub shoulders with and discuss the things of God with the wise and godly.

I remember when one of my children had his first opportunity to prepare a message for a youth group. The Scripture he chose was the above Scripture, Proverbs 13:20! He knew it by heart as it had been drummed into him.

Use the above Scriptures to encourage your children and here are a few more for your children and teens to learn:

Proverbs 12:11, “He that follows vain persons is void of understanding.”

Proverbs 14:7, “Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.”

1 Corinthians 15:33, “Bad company ruins good morals.”

 
May God pour out His wisdom upon you as you raise godly children for His kingdom.

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

PRAYER:

“Oh God, I ask that you please help me find godly friends for my children and help my children to be a positive influence on their friends.”

AFFIRMATION:

I will seek to lead my children by green fields and pure rivers.

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