Having friends and companions is very important to our well-being, however the type of companions we associate with will rub off on who we are.

Proverbs 13:1-25

Reference:  v.20  He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.  (NIV Bible)

Explore:  I hesitate to put people in to stereotypes however I do find that people who are similar do tend to gravitate to each other.  Those who enjoy sports spend time together discussing game plays and team selections, those who have children can often relate well to other parents, and those who have a specific hobby often find instant companionship when they find another with the same interest.  It's not rocket-science, it's about having a connecting point to feel that someone else understands a part of you. 
The people we associate with can have a big part to play in our lives.  While we may be mainly talking about sport, children or hobbies we are actually picking up how our companion responds, loves, uses vocabulary, presents humour and many other subtleties.  At the same time we are expressing all of these elements back to them.

Application:  Having friends and companions is very important to our well-being, however the type of companions we associate with will rub off on who we are.  We may not replicate them completely - we are our own person - however it's amazing how particular elements of their personality can impact our own character.  If we want to learn more about sport we go to those who are or have been professional athletes.  If we want to learn more about parenting we go to those who have children of their own.  If we want to learn more about God we associate with those who have a close relationship with God.  You can see what people are interested in by who they associate themselves with.  The people you associate yourself with will definitely have an impact on who you are.

Prayer:  Lord, it is great to be in community with others, learning with them and developing friendships.  May we have a positive impact on others as well as finding people who encourage us to be better people.  Amen.

If someone was to look at the people you associate with, what impression would they get about the type of person you are?