Have you ever been exposed to the “naysayers?” They’re kind of like Joseph’s family – whenever you share your dreams, they say, “Are you serious? You certainly can’t do that.” My fifth grade teacher was a naysayer. When my parents decided to enroll me in a magnet middle school, she said I wouldn’t succeed, based on my test scores. I’m glad they didn’t listen to her. Several years and two degrees later, I’m a witness that her words weren’t prophetic.
Whenever you decide to change for the better, it’s important to change your “scenery” as well. The truth is, all company is not good company. As I read about Paul’s conversion in Acts 9, one detail leaped off the page. After Jesus informed him of the inevitable extreme makeover, He changed Paul’s company. Notice who Paul was hanging around – believers! He placed him around people who made it easy for him to be the man God wanted him to be!
One of my favorite quotes says, “Friends that don’t help you climb will want you to crawl. Your friends can either stretch your visions or choke your dreams. Those that don’t increase you will eventually decrease you.” As you strive to be the person God has called you to be, make sure you inspect your friends. It’s better to be alone than in the wrong company!