How to Thrive in TeenagehoodSample

Who Are You Spending Time With?

You may have heard the phrase; ‘Who you hang out with is who you become.’ Tarzan grew up with gorillas and became like a gorilla. Mowgli grew up with wolves and became like a wolf. But this does not just occur in fairy tales. In the bible, Lot went to Sodom, and his family became like the people of Sodom. Jesus’ disciples spent time with Jesus and became more like him. The fact is, we all influence each other, and Lot is a perfect example.

Lot and Abraham had a disagreement on whose land was whose. What you must remember is that Abraham was a nomadic prince. He would have had hundreds of sheep and shepherds. As would Lot. Abraham and Lot split up the land. One more fertile and near to Sodom. One less fertile.

In life, we face this decision a lot. There is the easy option, the fertile land. And the harder option. We know as Christians the hard option is normally the right path to choose. But what is the right path? Normally the straightforward way is the easier one to identify. But what Christians must understand is that the type of people you hang out with is the type of person who you will become.

Going back to the story of Lot and Sodom, Lot would have a much more economic and social advantage over Abram. He could trade his sheep and goods with the people in the city and form alliances with local shepherds. It would be a superior life to that of Abraham in these areas. What he failed to realise is as he continued to live the city, he slowly became more attached. We hear that he had a house in the city. Lot sat by the gate, as a local leader would do, so Lot has a position of power.

But to put it bluntly, Lot was spending time with evil people and was growing more attached to them. Lot is being told that fire from Heaven will fall. Yet Lot waits. He wants to stay in the city. In the place he has grown to call home. The angels must force him to leave. You may know the story, his wife looks back with longing, turns into a pillar of salt, and his daughters grow up to exploit him for their own gain.

So, what we can learn from this is it really matters who we spend time with. I am talking about getting in with the wrong crowd and spending time with people who do not love Jesus can also affect you. You can change them, but they will change you too. You don't need to lock yourself in a room and hide from people. But think about the time that you spend with God every day. How long is it? Is it arduous work? Do you wish it to be over each time? Are you distracted? Saying yes to one of these questions is ok. Growth takes time. But what ratio of time do you spend talking to your friends to how much time you spend talking with God?

The more time you talk with God the more like him you become. It is the narrow path, the less fertile land and often the more challenging choices. If you want to grow, you must choose to up heaven's influence in your life. But remember people who do not love Jesus are not evil. You can spend time with them of course. Just ensure that your God time grows to be greater than your people time. I would recommend copying Jesus. Go, be alone, and ask God, “What do you want me to know today?”

Questions

How can you stay close to God?

How can you protect your time with God?