Choose your friends wisely……..
………for they will become your greatest influencers… for success or for destruction.
1 Kings 12 gives the account of Rehoboam, the grandson of King David, son of King Solomon and heir to the throne of the nation of Israel. His was a life of privilege as his father had taxed the people to pay for the royal palaces, temples, gardens and public works. At Rehoboam’s coronation the people of Israel sent a representative to ask the new king for relief from the high taxes placed on them by his father. The older, wiser, men who were Solomon’s advisors also told Rehoboam that he should lighten the taxes on the people and by doing so gain their loyalty throughout his reign. Great advice… but not so fast.
A third group had Rehoboam’s ear. It was his friends, the guys he grew up with. They did not care about Rehoboam as much as keeping their lifestyle, the palaces, and the parties they were accustom to. They not only did not want it all to go away, but they probably wanted to do things even bigger now that they were the ones in charge. Instead of ending taxes, or just keeping them at the current rates, Rehoboam friends encouraged him to raise taxes even more.
Rehoboam’s friends were addicted to their lifestyle. The advice they gave was in their best interest and had disastrous results. All the people except those in Rehoboam’s own tribe rebelled and started a new kingdom of Israel to the north. Egypt invaded Rehoboam’s weakened kingdom, now called Judah, and he had to empty the temple treasury as a tribute. In the end the advice of Rehoboam’s friends led to the demise of his kingdom and shortened his reign.
When someone is into an activity, such as hunting, weight lifting, riding motorcycles, etc., their closest friends tend to be people who share their interest. Likewise people with addictions tend to hang out with people who have the same addiction. The advice they give each other makes them feel better about themselves and continue their destructive cycle. When we struggle with things in our lives it is important to surround ourselves with people who will tell us what we need to hear, not what we want to hear. We need friends who are looking out for our best interest, not with agendas of their own that include keeping us from getting the help we need.
Take a moment to think about your friends. Are they helping you overcome issues in your life or dragging you back into your old lifestyle? Is their advice leading you to success or destruction? Remember; choose your friends wisely, for they will become your greatest influencers.
