Day 16 — Choose Your Crew

“Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’”

— 1 Corinthians 15:33 (BSB)

Have you ever noticed that if you hang out with a certain group of guys long enough, you start talking like them, laughing at the same jokes and doing the same things?

That’s normal. The people you spend the most time with shape who you become. That’s why Paul gives a warning: “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’”

Corrupts means to spoil or ruin, like when a rotten apple in a bag makes the other apples rot too. If your closest friends are always getting in trouble, disrespecting teachers, using bad language, being cruel to other kids or doing things you know are wrong, it’s only a matter of time before you start doing those things too.

Notice Paul says, “Do not be deceived.” Many guys think, It won’t affect me. I can hang out with those guys and still be myself. But that’s usually not how it works. Slowly, bit by bit, you change.

Think about Daniel and his friends in Babylon. They were surrounded by people who didn’t follow God. But the four of them stuck together, and they helped each other stay strong.

This doesn’t mean you should be rude to kids who make bad choices, or refuse to talk to them. Jesus was friends with people who were far from God, and He loved them. You should be kind to everyone.

But there’s a difference between being kind to someone and choosing him as your crew, the guys you hang out with the most and let influence you.

Ask yourself about your closest friends:

• Do I feel pressure to do things I know are wrong when I’m with them?
• Do they respect my faith, or make fun of it?
• Am I becoming a better person because of these friendships, or a worse one?

If your crew is pulling you the wrong way, it might be time to make some changes. That’s hard. But it’s worth it.

And remember: you can be the good influence too. Be the guy who makes the group better.

Think about it: Is your crew making you better or worse? What’s one way you could be a good influence on your friends?

Try this: Spend time this week with a friend who makes you better. Invite him over, sit with him at lunch or play together.

Dear God, help me choose friends who make me better, not worse. Help me be kind to everyone but wise about who influences me most. And help me be a good influence on the guys around me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.