"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy— think about such things." Philippians 4:8

Do the relationships in your life allow you to think about positive things? Lift you up? Brighten your spirits? Or do they cause you worry, despair, and anxiety? Some people may have a negative influence on us, some a positive one. We struggle with relationships that burn us out, leaving us drained and discouraged. “After all,” we tell ourselves, “maybe I can be a positive influence on her.” But we have to ask ourselves, “Am I having a greater influence on her than her negativity is on me?” You have to find balance and be wise when choosing who to spend time with.

On the other hand, you never know who may come to faith in Christ because of the life you live, or because of your friendship with them. You can’t force faith on someone else, so you must simply be willing to live out your own testimony and answer any resulting questions. God will do His work.

You become like the people you spend time with. As you evaluate your earthly relationships, remember that as you influence the lives of others – you too need to soak up a little more of Him as well. Who is influencing you?

• Bible Readings for the Week Ahead:
• Monday: 1 Corinthians 1:10
• Tuesday: Galatians 6:2, 10
• Wednesday: Ephesians 2:19-22
• Thursday: Philippians 1:3,27
• Friday: Philippians 2:1,2
• Saturday: Hebrews 10:24,25
• Sunday: 1 John 1:3,7