Walking with the Wise

Proverbs 13:20


I work with teenagers. My challenge is to help them develop reverence for God and obedience to his Word. This is a daunting task in the few short years I have them. This difficulty has forced me to seek for life essential verses that clearly and concisely communicate the truth. These verses are not ambiguous. They are practical and irrefutable. One such verse is Proverbs 13:20. It states,

He who walks with the wise grows wise, but the companion of fools suffers harm.

The point is simple. Success or failure in life depends on the company we keep. I have seen this over and over again. I can tell you how a student will turn out based on the kinds of people with which they spend their time. Influence is an extremely powerful force and people react differently to it. Gullible people can be made to believe anything quickly. But even those who are independent and display leadership qualities are affected by those around them. It may take longer, but it is inevitable--like water on rock.

Generally speaking, walking with the wise means walking with those who are older. There are some who are wise beyond their years, but they are few and far between. With age comes experience and experience is the best teacher. Developing relationships with the wise can be tricky because wise people are not idle. The have little time to spare. Howard Hendricks, the dean of men at Dallas Theological Seminary, wrote the book on mentoring (Iron Sharpens Iron). In it he relays a helpful anecdote . There was a wise man he wanted to spend time with who was booked solid every day. So, he cleverly offered to cut the man's grass once a week in exchange for something much more valuable than money. He wanted conversation.

How about you? Do you walk with wise people? If not have you been making excuses? Proverbs 13:20 in my experience is a rock solid axiom. It cannot be broken. If you fight it you will end up the broken one.