Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise,
for a companion of fools suffers harm.
I remember getting some parenting advice as a newlywed — four years before we would have children.
We talked with a Christian family raising five kids. After praying and reading many parenting books, they decided to do church differently from their friends.
Instead of putting their kids in a children’s or youth program, they found a church with a multi-generation Sunday School class. Rather than separating family members by age, they all studied the Bible together in a small group and went to the worship service together.
Their reasoning? Children haven’t had time to become wise. So, if you put them together, they will be a companion of fools. They homeschooled their kids for similar reasons.
I’m sure many would disagree with our friends’ approach.
However, the concept follows Proverbs 13:20.
We must choose to walk with the wise. How we do it may look differently. And that’s OK.
Here are three principles I learned from this family on walking with the wise. My husband and I try to emulate them with our two boys.
1. Spend time with people of different generations — not just your own age group. You are guaranteed to learn some different perspectives!
2. Find your closest friends with growing believers. We all need to know non-Christians. Otherwise, how will they come to know Christ? But we need the prayers and support of believers who are studying the Bible and active in church.
3. Serve with others. We teach Sunday School to third-graders as a family. We don’t know any other families who do this — but it works for us. My boys, ages 15 and 12, get to practice serving these 8- and 9-year-olds. We all end up learning from the experience.
How do you make sure you walk with wise people rather than fools?
Stacy
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