NASHVILLE (BP) — This weekly Bible study appears in Baptist Press in a partnership with LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Through its Leadership and Adult Publishing team, LifeWay publishes Sunday School curricula and additional resources for all age groups.
This week’s Bible study is adapted from the Explore the Bible curriculum.
Bible Passages: Proverbs 3:3-4; 10:12; 11:17; 13:20; 14:17, 22, 29; 15:17-18; 16:6, 32; 17:14, 19; 18:2419:11; 20:6; 22:25-25; 25:19; 26:21; 27:2
Discussion Questions: How are you influenced by your closest friends? How much influence do you have over them? How selective are you when it comes to choosing your friends?
Food for Thought:
Ron was sitting in a meeting when his smartphone notified him of a social media friend request. The meeting was more than he could take already, so he looked at the request wondering if he would be reconnecting with a childhood friend or a distant relative. The excitement turned to intrigue when the name on the notice was Brock. He didn’t know anyone with that name. As he investigated, Ron came to realize that he and Brock had never met face to face. He continued trying to figure out if this was a salesperson, a spammer or perhaps someone interested in learning from Ron.
King Solomon emphasized the importance of those with whom we choose to associate. He stated: The one who walks with the wise will become wise, but a companion of fools will suffer harm (Proverbs 13:20, HCSB). He would have encountered people who had sought him for knowledge. If someone wanted to gain wisdom, Solomon was the person to meet. Imagine the number of people who would have followed Solomon on Twitter!
Like it or not, we are evaluated by the company we keep. Who we associate with matters to us, as our associates will influence us in some way. Who we associate with also matters to our associates, as we will have some type of impact on the group, adding to the wisdom or getting in the way. Who we associate with matters to the Kingdom.
We need other believers in our lives to hold us accountable, to help us understand the truths of God’s Word, and to accompany through life. At the same time, we want to associate with people who need Christ, so we can help them come to know Christ in a personal way. We need wise friends, and we need to be a wise friend.
Explore the Bible
Explore the Bible is an ongoing Bible study curriculum that helps groups dig into the key truths of each Bible book, while keeping the group on pace to study through the Bible books in a systematic way. More information can be found on the Internet at LifeWay.com/ExploreTheBible
Other ongoing Bible study options for all ages offered by LifeWay can be found at LifeWay.com/SundaySchool.
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Dwayne McCrary is the adult Project Team Leader for Explore the Bible and can be followed on twitter @gdwayne.
