Just CrossPoint: Who will walk with me? Choose your travel companions wisely!

This week Pastor Wilna Erasmus shares her insight into the importance of making the right decisions when it comes to choosing our friends and those with whom we spend our time:

A few years ago we did a wonderful study called “GOD WILL MAKE A WAY” by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend. The Key Scriptures were Proverbs 25:12; Ecc. 4:9-12; Heb. 6:12;  “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen…”

What do we learn from the Bible about travel companions? Let’s focus on Heb 6:12…”imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” According to this scripture we need to imitate (model), meaning “To copy the actions, appearance, mannerisms, or speech of; mimic” To me, this definition means two things:

We need to follow/copy the BEHAVIOR (how you act, how you look and what you do)

We need to follow/copy their speech (how they SPOKE, their words!)

Dr. Townsend talked about support, love, courage, feedback, wisdom, experience, modeling, values, accountability…which one of these are most important to you now? Are you choosing companions/friends who walk through life’s difficult circumstances that set a Biblical example to you? We need to be serious who we choose as a traveling companion. What would be a key characteristic for choosing a traveling companion for what you’re going through now?

A word of caution when you choose a companion is to be careful of:          

• People who are mere acquaintances or casual friends
• People who aren’t good for us
• People who don’t have the expertise in what you’re struggling with

Some people are just not a good travel companion for your current situation or the challenge you are facing. Can you identify travel companions that are not good for your current situation? If so, pray and ask the Lord to guide you how to deal with this!

God knows how important the support form a friend/or travel companion is to you; it can make you negative or bring you down, or be a positive influence of encouragement. In making a decision if someone is a trustworthy companion or friend, I suggest you consider the following nine traits of a trustworthy travel companion: Support (Ecc. 4:10); Love (1Peter 4:8); Courage (Acts 27:25); Feedback (proverbs 25:12); Wisdom (James 3:13-17); Experience (Romans 5;3-4); Modeling (Hebrew 6:12); Values (Psalm 101:6), Accountability (Hebrews 10:24-25)

Sometimes we just have to break off a friendship with someone who we thought was a friend, but they are really not a good travel companion for life! 1Corinthians 15:33 says: Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character."

Please check back for more messages from Pastor Wilna Erasmus as well as stories about the programs and people at CrossPoint Church.  For more information about the church please call 727-372-1057.