Have you ever seen someone get stuck in a bad situation because they were with the wrong crowd? Wrong time, wrong place kind of thing? I believe that many of those situations could truly be avoided, were we more careful about whom we allow to 'sharpen' us.
Think about it this way - If we surround ourselves and seek counsel from people who are persistently negative, surrounded by a cloud of drama, and seem to like it that way (by doing little to improve the situation), what kind of influence and impact do you foresee them having on your life?
On the flipside, imagine building relationships with those who desire to challenge themselves, who refuse to be complacent in their own lives, and strive to achieve. Their influence causes us to look at ourselves, challenge the norm and do something positive and meaningful in our lives.
I see many people pulled in by drama which really has nothing to do with them. Imagine a friend complaining about a co-worker. A simple bad day at work can get negatively amplified so much so that the person listening to the complaints also begins to have a bad day… The listener re-tells the story, which gets relayed on to another friend, until a simple misunderstanding has now become the focus of a handful of people, magnifying a trivial occurrence. Some 'gurus' call this 'Viral Negativity'.
Simple solution: Stop partaking in drama! Stop listening, walk away, or change the subject. And here's one we won't like to hear - Mind your own business!
I call it the theory of ‘sharpening’. Whatever you rub yourself up against is bound to have some impact on you. Seek to balance your life with people who will sharpen you in a positive way. Sometimes sharpening hurts. Sometimes friends will need to confront you, but we are the better for it. Allow yourself to be sharpened this week.
In The Word
Proverbs 27:17 (The Message)
You use steel to sharpen steel, and one friend sharpens another.
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