One of my best friends forwarded a powerful email a few years ago. I’m not a fan of forwarded messages, but I just had to share some of the insight with you. I really liked this excerpt from the email: “A mirror reflects a man’s face, but what he is really like is shown by the kind of friends he chooses. The simple but true fact of life is that you become like those with whom you closely associate …” What an epiphany – our friends wield a great influence on us!
The email my friend sent could have benefited the main character in today’s recharge. Amnon, the recipient of passage cited above, was madly in love with his half-sister Tamar. He shared his feelings with his “friend” (and cousin) Jonadab, and Jonadab devised a scheme for Amnon to take advantage of Tamar. He basically said, “Play sick, and when she comes to visit, seize the moment.” What terrible advice; needless to say, this situation didn’t end favorably (read the rest of the chapter for more details.)
Another friend shared this insight, “There’s no such thing as maintaining; you’re either getting better or getting worse.” The same is true with our friends – they either build you up or bring you down. Therefore, choose friends who stretch you and never let you settle for mediocrity.
Be blessed …