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How can I tell if a friendship is unhealthy?
By looking at habits and attitudes.
Proverbs 22:24, 25
We tend to become like the people we stay around. This tendency is particularly noticeable in children. They readily pick up the language and behavior of their playmates. But it's also true of adults. That's why you need to choose friends whose conduct you'd like to model.
You know the kind of person described in verse 24. He mutters bitterly in stalled traffic. He complains at each new set of instructions from the boss. He gripes about his spouse's lack of attention. He snaps at his children. He even complains about the music in church. If you're not careful, before long you'll find that the same things that irritate him also irritate you.
The Bible has a lot to say about anger and controlling your temper. Perhaps that's because anger often leads to violence—a trap you want to avoid. Healthy friendships are those that encourage you to please God in all your habits and attitudes, including the way you handle your anger. (See also Psalm 1; Proverbs 4:14, 15; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18.)
Good Words to Remember:
Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man do not go, lest you learn his ways and set a snare for your soul. Proverbs 22:24, 25
Today's Challenge:
What kind of people do you choose to spend time with, and why?
Copyright © 2003 by the author or Christianity Today International/Christian Bible Studies.
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