Become wise by walking with the wise;
hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces
~ Proverbs 13:20 ~
~ Proverbs 13:20 ~
A few days ago I read a great article about Tyrese Gibson (singer, model, actor, and star of Transformers. He worked his tail off to achieve success. Then he started hanging out with the wrong crowd. He lost his motivation, gained weight, and the downward spiral was on...
But then one day he ran into another actor, Will Smith, who told him this:
"The five people you spend most of your time with will dictate how far your life and career will go. Slobs will make you a slob."
That's all it took. Tyrese began listening to Will Smith, started hanging around more positive influences, turned his life back around, and the rest is history. This parallels the wisdom we receive from Proverbs. We must have a circle of influence where we push others to achieve their best and where they push us to achieve our best.
Are the people you hang around pulling you down because they are afraid to stand up? And what about you...are you encouraging and influencing them in positive ways? Take a quick inventory and do some evaluations. You can determine their influence on you and your influence on them simply by looking at the "fruit" that everyone is producing...it is either ripe or rotten.... Are you better or worse because of their presence? Are they better or worse because of your presence?
Think for a moment by how we learn best...we model those we want to be like and then insert our own gifts to the mix...For instance, the disciples "did life" with Jesus. They walked with Him on a daily basis. Resident physicians follow and walk side-by-side with the Attending Physician to learn everything about medicine/surgery, etc. Athletes, musicians, artist, business people, etc train with the best, work with the best, live with the best.
I love how Jesus puts in Matthew 11.28:
But then one day he ran into another actor, Will Smith, who told him this:
"The five people you spend most of your time with will dictate how far your life and career will go. Slobs will make you a slob."
That's all it took. Tyrese began listening to Will Smith, started hanging around more positive influences, turned his life back around, and the rest is history. This parallels the wisdom we receive from Proverbs. We must have a circle of influence where we push others to achieve their best and where they push us to achieve our best.
Are the people you hang around pulling you down because they are afraid to stand up? And what about you...are you encouraging and influencing them in positive ways? Take a quick inventory and do some evaluations. You can determine their influence on you and your influence on them simply by looking at the "fruit" that everyone is producing...it is either ripe or rotten.... Are you better or worse because of their presence? Are they better or worse because of your presence?
Think for a moment by how we learn best...we model those we want to be like and then insert our own gifts to the mix...For instance, the disciples "did life" with Jesus. They walked with Him on a daily basis. Resident physicians follow and walk side-by-side with the Attending Physician to learn everything about medicine/surgery, etc. Athletes, musicians, artist, business people, etc train with the best, work with the best, live with the best.
I love how Jesus puts in Matthew 11.28:
Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it.
One last note, Erwin McManus writes in his book, "Seizing Your Divine Moments," the following about the power of influence, and how influence is contagious:“People who are influential pass on what they have like the flu. They’ll sneeze all over you...We pass on not just who we are, but who we genuinely desire to become.
Escape quickly from the company of fools;
