This is What I’ve Learned... ...From the Company You Keep

Complimentary Story
Summer  2025

   As a minister, my father wasn’t particularly fond of the motley crew I ran with back in high school. He’d often say, “Son, whoever you run with, you’ll become.”  And he was right, for eventually I got into trouble, just by association. 

   “For by association, through the company you keep, you will collectively as a band of brothers either get into something good, or something bad.”

   If the nature of the culture among the brothers you’re choosing to run with isn’t leading you into something good, then they may eventually lead you into something bad…TROUBLE. 

   Unfortunately for a lot of American men, their choice of brothers has been heavily influenced by the stereotypical hard core macho images that have been embedded into our culture for generations on what a man should look, act and talk like. But this misguided image is a false one, and is directly in conflict with what our Savior wants the image of a kind, gentle, and loving Christlike man to be. 

   For first and foremost, Jesus wants us to keep company with Him, so we can learn how to become a spiritual man, created in His image, to spiritually live and influence the crew we run with (whether good or bad) as reflected in this passage from one of His band of brothers, found in the gospel of Matthew…

   “Walk with Me and work with Me, watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I wont lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with Me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”  -Matthew 11: 29-30 (MSG).

   I assure you, from my own experience, once you begin to run with Jesus, the more you’ll become like Him and so will the company you keep.

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