NIV: “v19 Listen, my child, and be wise, and guide your heart on the right way v20 Do not spend time among drunkards, among those who eat too much meat v21 because drunkards and gluttons become impoverished, and drowsiness clothes them with rags.”
Every Word God Sends to us Comes from His Heart, just as a living father desires to see his children prosper in life. We on the other hand must receive with all humility, our Father’s Words because They Are Able to Save our souls.
God is Calling us to pay attention to Words of Wisdom. He is Saying to you, “Listen My child, and be wise, guide your heart on the right way”. Our hearts, as referred here, is the very centre of our being, i.e. our will and character. In other words, we must make conscious efforts towards our character formation. What we do and who we accept into our lives influences the outcome of our character.
That is why our Father in Heaven is Counselling us not to spend time with drunkards and those who lavish time and money and eating excessive meat, as though life is all about eating and drinking. Such companions soon reduce to poverty and are clothed with rags. The first critical step to guiding your heart in the right way is to choose your environment and companions wisely.
Do you know that when you spend time with somebody for long, both of you pick up certain traits from each other? Choose your friends wisely. That is not to say that we must condemn such people. We must show concern for them and pray for their well-being but that does not mean we should share in what they do. The more you spend time with people of wrong influence, the faster you lose resistance to their wrong habits.
Do you have to drink alcohol because everybody in your office takes alcohol? Why should you stay around friends who will make fornication sound so easy and fun to do? Why hang around people who waste all their time and money gambling without any vision for their life? Why not surround yourself with people who will inspire you to honor God with your life and be the best you can be? Guide your heart on the right way.
Heavenly Father,
Please Grant me wisdom and discernment to identify wrong associations and to close doors to them. Bless me with the right people who will help me to be my very best in life.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
