How does someone become a friend? How does someone move from being a non-friend to being a friend? When do you allow someone to transition
from outside to inside your circle of friends? Does any of this really matter?
In Proverbs 12:26, the Lord declares, “The righteous should choose his friends carefully.” Think about it. Someone cannot force themselves into our circle of friendship; we choose those who will be our friends. And God says, when His children make those choices, they must do so carefully. Look at the rest of the verse — “For the way of the wicked leads them astray.”
Our friends, whether we see this or not, influence us. They influence us for good or they influence us for evil; there are no such friends or acquaintances who have a “neutral” influence! So, for every child of God (not just young ones but older ones, too), don’t play eenie, meenie, miney, mo in selecting friends! Do so carefully and prayerfully!