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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Illustrate the meaning of "A Man is Known by the Company He Keeps" (without using the actual phrase). (01/31/08)
In the NIV Bible, Proverbs 13:20 warns, “He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.” In other words, “choose your friends wisely.” You may be wondering what this means for us as Christians? Are we called to associate ourselves only with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ? While I know that God blesses and requires this time spent with fellow believers (Matthew 18:20), I think it’s important for us not to forget that Jesus, Himself, kept tax collectors, prostitutes, and other “sinners” in His company. As a result of these associations, the Pharisees and other teachers of the law shot numerous accusations at Jesus (Luke 15:1-2). Why would Jesus have risked associating Himself with this sort of company? Why would He have risked ruining His reputation?

To explain Himself, Jesus offered three parables: The Parable of the Lost Sheep, The Parable of the Lost Coin, and The Parable of the Lost Son. Jesus associated Himself with the “sinners” because he was going after the “lost sheep,” “lost coins,” and “lost sons” of the world, just as we are called to do today. In fact, that is evangelism in a nutshell. So, while the world’s view may say you are “guilty by association,” I would argue you are guiltier by not associating at all. I will leave you with one warning, though. Be sure you are doing God’s work in these relationships. First Peter 2:12 suggests, “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Laury Hubrich 
02/08/08
You have great thoughts in this short piece. Good job. I do think you went the anti-topic route, though. I would suggest you become part of the message board. There is a spot where you can discuss the challenge topic. You do lose points if you don't stay on topic.
Laury
Hanne Moon 
02/10/08
This would be a great devotional if you deleted all first-person POV references and reworded just a few sections. This is a good piece - but you were anti-topic so you're going to lose points for that. Keep writing!
Jan Ackerson
02/11/08
Good Bible study--can you give us some more examples, either from your life or from the lives of others? People relate more to stories than to hypothetical situations.

I appreciate that you pulled together several Scriptures in a tidy devotional--thanks!