The Company You Keep

By Lindsay Roberts

Today, it’s not just people we allow to influence our life, but additional positive and negative influences can also include TV, social media, music, books, etc.

The company you keep is the company that is keeping you. If you are keeping company with fear, worry, torment, doubt, the economy… this, that, and something else, then those things become the company you keep, and that company can be what’s keeping you from all the good things God has for you and the abundant life Jesus came to give you.

Consider the words of a little song we use to sing “Oh, be careful little eyes what you see. Oh, be careful little ears what you hear…Oh, be careful little heart whom you trust… Oh, be careful little mind what you think…For the Father up above, He’s looking down in dear love, so be careful little ears what you hear.”

This song talks about what we process with our eyes, ears and heart and mind. I believe what we see, say, hear, and think will influence our outcome, our destiny.

Proverbs 23:7 says, “As a man thinketh in his own heart, so he becomes.” So, as you work out your thoughts, they can become self-fulfilling prophecies. Proverbs 4:23 in the Passion Translation also says… “Listen carefully my dear children to everything I teach you, and pay attention to all the things that I have to say. Fill your thoughts with my words until they penetrate deep into your spirit. Then, as you unwrap my words, they will impart true life and radiant health into the very core of your being.”

Now, let’s look at Proverbs 4:23 in the King James Version, as well… “My son give attention to my words. Incline your ears to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your eyes. Keep them in the midst of your heart for they are life to those who find them and health to all their flesh.”

It all goes right back to that little children’s song. Our eyes, our ears, our heart, our hands, our mouth, our thoughts, our words… all of its words are a caution. Why? To remind us that the influences of God’s Word and godly widsom bring true life and radiant health which get into the very core of our being.

So, let’s take that to heart and think logically about “the company you keep.”

The Word of God is our gentle reminder to keep our eyes, our thoughts and our emotions fixed on the Lord. The company we keep is the company that’s keeping us. What are you watching or listening to on television? What are you thinking about? What are you praying about? What are you talking about? 

What you’re full of will manifest. Garbage in, garbage out. If you’re full of worry, fear, torment, and other things like that, in a panic situation, what comes out may not be spiritually productive. Instead, when we look at Proverbs 4:23 and fill ourselves with the words of God and keep them in the midst of our heart, they can become life to all who find them and health to all their flesh.

Be mindful of the influence of TV, social media, the people around you, and your thought life. Your prayer life can keep you in good company and in good relationship with God. I believe Father God wants to bless you in every area of your life, from the crown of your head to the soles of your feet (3 John 2). And when we live our lives according to His Word—the spirit of the Lord in, the spirit of the Lord out, the Word of the Lord in, the Word of the Lord out—I believe we can see miracles, signs and wonders.

Let’s pray together now:  Father, in the name of Jesus, we stretch forth our faith to You today. No matter what we’re facing in the natural, we choose to live by faith, believing what Your Word says. Since faith is what pleases You, we reach out to You Father God, in faith, for every area of our lives—spiritually, physically, financially, emotionally and for our families. We’re expecting miracles. in Jesus’ Name, amen.

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