The Power of Influence
"Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm." - Proverbs 13:20
The people you allow closest to you will shape who you become. Influence is powerful because it works quietly. You don’t always notice it happening, but over time, the voices around you begin to shape your thoughts, your choices, and even your faith. Proverbs 13:20 reminds us that walking with the wise makes you wise, but surrounding yourself with the wrong influences leads to harm. Who you walk with determines where you end up.
Every relationship in your life is doing one of two things. It is either pulling you closer to God or pushing you further away from Him. There is no middle ground. That is why you have to be intentional about who you let speak into your life. People who love Jesus will challenge you to grow. They will pray for you when you struggle and tell you the truth when it is hard to hear. But people who ignore God’s voice will never encourage you to follow His. Their influence will always lead you somewhere smaller than where God wants to take you.
You do not have to cut everyone off to live wisely, but you do need to guard your heart. Influence flows both ways, and the people you spend time with shape how you think and respond. The wrong voices can fill you with fear, doubt, or bitterness before you even realize it. The right ones can stir up faith, courage, and purpose.
Jesus surrounded Himself with people He loved, but He also knew when to step away and spend time with the Father. That is your example. Love people freely, but let God set the boundaries for who has your ear. Choose voices that remind you of who you are in Him, not ones that make you forget.
Take a moment today to look at the circle around you. Are the people closest to you helping you become more like Jesus or less? Influence determines impact, so walk with those who make you wiser and lead you closer to the voice of Jesus.
The people you allow closest to you will shape who you become. Influence is powerful because it works quietly. You don’t always notice it happening, but over time, the voices around you begin to shape your thoughts, your choices, and even your faith. Proverbs 13:20 reminds us that walking with the wise makes you wise, but surrounding yourself with the wrong influences leads to harm. Who you walk with determines where you end up.
Every relationship in your life is doing one of two things. It is either pulling you closer to God or pushing you further away from Him. There is no middle ground. That is why you have to be intentional about who you let speak into your life. People who love Jesus will challenge you to grow. They will pray for you when you struggle and tell you the truth when it is hard to hear. But people who ignore God’s voice will never encourage you to follow His. Their influence will always lead you somewhere smaller than where God wants to take you.
You do not have to cut everyone off to live wisely, but you do need to guard your heart. Influence flows both ways, and the people you spend time with shape how you think and respond. The wrong voices can fill you with fear, doubt, or bitterness before you even realize it. The right ones can stir up faith, courage, and purpose.
Jesus surrounded Himself with people He loved, but He also knew when to step away and spend time with the Father. That is your example. Love people freely, but let God set the boundaries for who has your ear. Choose voices that remind you of who you are in Him, not ones that make you forget.
Take a moment today to look at the circle around you. Are the people closest to you helping you become more like Jesus or less? Influence determines impact, so walk with those who make you wiser and lead you closer to the voice of Jesus.
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1 Comment
words of wisdom. ty