Imagine you have two bottles of water connected by a straw at the bottom. If you pour water into just one bottle, it won’t stay high in that bottle while the other stays empty. Instead, gravity pulls it down until it flows through the straw and rises in both bottles until they are at the exact same height. In physics, this is called hydrostatic equilibrium. Because water can flow freely, it will always move from a place of high pressure to low pressure until everything is equal.
Just as water flows to equalize to the water that it is connected to we will typically do the same. I read a powerful statement recently, it said “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” — Jim Rohn. If we surround ourselves with people who have low standards, negative attitudes, or destructive habits, one of two things usually happens. One you lift them up or two you sink to their level. This is why it is important to pay attention to the people you hang around on a regular basis. Are they pushing you towards God or pulling you away? Never think that who you hang around doesn’t affect you. As it says in 1 Corinthians 15:33 (NET) Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”
Yes we must hang around those that do not believe like we do. How else are we supposed to reach them? But we must always pay attention if they are influencing us or are we influencing them?
Proverbs 13:20 NLT
20 Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.
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