Day 101, Year 1 

Review the People You Associate With

“He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will suffer harm.” (Proverbs 13:20 NASB)

According to the verse above, believers could seek wise people out and walk alongside them. Indeed, as a Chinese saying goes, “those who are near the vermilion get stained red, and those who are near the ink get stained black”—the people we frequently interact with will inevitably influence us. Here are some suggestions for seeking wisdom and associating with wise people.

To have fools as companions brings loss. But why do some people still choose to befriend fools? This is likely because they cannot overcome the loneliness of having no companions. Despite recognizing someone as a fool, they may still find having a companion preferable to having none. However, studies in the 2010s indicate that highly intelligent people fear loneliness less. This is because they can tolerate the feelings of loneliness and enjoy the benefits of solitude, such as quietly reflecting, organizing, settling various thoughts and emotions, etc. Research has also shown that the more a person can endure loneliness, the more their circle of friends would change, including having fewer fair-weather friends but more heart-to-heart connections with several intimate friends.

However, some might respond, “But I really can’t befriend any wise people!” In this situation, many would seek wisdom from various books instead. As a matter of fact, many wise people have written books, hoping to pass on their wisdom to future generations. By reading and absorbing lots of words of wisdom, you, too, can gradually become a wise person. Believers should pay special attention to the words of wisdom that enable us to understand the Bible better. Moreover, the internet is abundant with information, yet a significant portion is driven by click-through rates or the pursuit of online popularity. In fact, genuinely wise resources on the internet are rare for free. Anyway, if you really can’t find some wise people, you could ask the Lord to help you become wise first.

Finally, you might have found wise people before, only for them to leave you soon. You might need to reflect on yourself if the reason was not due to objective factors like death or relocation. Did they perhaps see you as a fool who was unwilling to change? Or did you perhaps cause harm to them? If so, quickly repent, renew yourself, strive to become wise, and seek out wise people. In this way, you will surely be able to walk alongside the wise in the future.

Reflection questions:

1) Are you afraid of loneliness? If so, how would you rely on the Lord to overcome it?

2) Are you becoming wise, seeking out and walking alongside other wise people? How would you draw strength from God if you lack motivation to do so?