Proverbs 13

He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction. 

We looked closely at the importance of remaining silent the past couple posts so today we'll focus on friendship. But first, I noticed a few key things about righteousness. 

A righteous person tells the truth (5), will have his path protected (6), will shine brightly with joy and life (9), will have reward (21), and will be content (25). 

Now let's examine and apply verse 20. 

"He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed."

Wake up call here. BE CAREFUL WHO YOU CHOOSE AS FRIENDS. I heard a quote about the things that influence us the most are the books we read and the friends we have. I agree wholeheartedly. We all start out as simple. A simple person is naive or inexperienced because he lacks discernment and is open to both wisdom and folly because he's not committed to either yet. He believes things too easily without careful though, so this is why he needs guidance toward wisdom's path. 

The simple man can either go 2 ways: the way of the wise or the way of the foolish. There's no middle ground; it's one or the other. So, if we choose a friend who's foolish, we'll head down that path which will lead to destruction. You walk with a friend who speaks without thinking? That's foolish. Be careful because companionship of that person will lead to destruction. You walk with a friend who gets angry quickly? That's foolish and the path ends at the same destination. You walk with someone who mocks sin and makes fun of others, who can't learn from correction, who lacks self-control, who loves speaking more than listening? That's a fool and you're on a bad path. 

Often friendship can be discipleship, whether that's you discipling someone else or someone discipling you. Friends can be the strongest spiritual influencers, so it's vital to be careful with whom you choose to walk with. Walking with the wise leads to one being sharpened, challenged, and encouraged, and can make a world of difference in a person's life.