30 Days of Proverbs: November 13th

November 13, 2017

Proverbs 13: Walk With The Wise

"She who walks with wise women will be wise,

But the companion of fools will suffer harm." 

Proverbs 13:20, pronouns changed. Bless. 

Ok, so here's the deal. 

Remember in Middle School when your Mom would say things like "If you lay down with dogs, you'll wake up with fleas."?? It turns out, SHE WAS RIGHT. 

I read a quote recently that read "You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with. Choose wisely." Mercy sakes alive. 

 This verse reminds me of that because it's so true. 

I once worked closely with a woman who was a total Germaphobe. She would have panic attacks if someone sneezed. She kept her keys IN A ZIPLOCK BAG. She never put her purse on the floor. (Actually, that is kinda smart. I'll cut her some slack for that one.) Doorknobs and light switches and public pencil cups petrified her. Her house was sparsely furnished and she steamed her floors every morning. Bleach was her best friend and she loved to talk about all the things she would spray with hydrogen peroxide to watch it fizz and bubble. 

 I had worked with her for about a month before I realized I was scrubbing my sink drain with a toothbrush at night. I had started washing my bedsheets every other day. I was going through paper towels so quickly I'm sure my roommate thought I was eating them or something. She saw germs everywhere so I started to see them, too. She was paralyzed by her fear of contamination and I started owning that paranoia, too. I stopped cooking with raw chicken or buying bacon. WHAT KIND OF PSYCHOPATH HAD I TURNED INTO?? 

Apparently a life without pork products was enough to snap me into reality and helped me step away from the industrial sized bottle of Clorox. Hallelujah. Because bacon is life. 

But I realized then how easy it is to pick up on other people's thoughts and habits and opinions. And if they're good, loving Christ fillowers- HAVE AT IT. But judge righteously the kind of light they are shining into your life. And if you realize you've taken on qualities that aren't reflecting Him, maybe you should shelter more closely who shines their light onto you. 

Have a Christ-filled day, y'all! And thanks for stopping by~ Katie.