1022) As a teacher of middle school kids, a large part of my job is to prepare the kids for the “next level” in life. Yes, that’s academically but often it means things in the subject of “life lessons.”

One of these life lessons I try to teach my kids is that they need to choose their friends wisely. To help them understand, I have one student stand up on a desk and another student to stand beside it. I tell them to extend their arms and grab each other’s hands and then I tell them to freeze. I turn to the class and say, “Which kid has the easier job, the one pulling up the other person or the one pulling down?” Of course they say the one pulling down has the easier job. I then have a brief discussion on why it’s easier to be led to do the wrong thing than it is to do the right one. Maybe some will remember our discussion later in life.

Paul also speaks of the important of remembering to choose carefully who you spend a lot of time with. 1 Corinthians 15:33 says, Bad company corrupts good behavior. This admonition is not just directed at the young but to Christians of all ages because it is easier to be led astray by others than the other way around.

Choose your company wisely.