There is a verse in Galatians chapter six where Paul is speaking to the churches at Galatia and he asks them a question, “O foolish Galatians, WHO hath bewitched you?” I have always found this question interesting as Paul did not ask the question that we often ask. The question we often ask is: “What happened to you?” Unfortunately, many times we ask the wrong question. We should not be asking “what” when it comes to change in our own life, we should be asking “who.” Who is it that has influenced my life to the point that I now make these horrible decisions? Who do I let in my inner circle that has brought me all of these bad circumstances?Do you remember when you used to serve the Lord?
Do you remember being an effective witness for Jesus Christ?
Do you remember being faithful to church?
Do you remember giving of your time, resources, and abilities to Christ?
WHO HAPPENED TO YOU? Someone… somewhere, talked you out of serving Christ. Think about the people in your life: friends, family, co-workers, etc. Have any of these "who's" ever influenced you into doing something that you would not have done had they not been around? Well, of course, they have. We could probably have a lot of humorous illustrations right here where the wrong “who” told us to ask someone out, told us the wrong way to do something, made us look foolish, or dared us to do something embarrassing that we would NEVER have done on our own.
Rest assured, someone is going to happen to you. Yes, I said that right. Obviously, someTHING is going to happen to you; however, I’m telling you, someONE is going to happen to you as well. A pastor once told me that life is summation of the experiences you encounter and the people you meet – both good and bad. So, you’d best be on guard.
Think for moment… think about the “who’s” in your life. Throughout your life there will be good and bad “who’s.” God will give you the right people in your life if you will follow His plan; however, the wrong “who’s” will be there to mess you up every time.
Those you allow into your circle of friends, you give them the power to affect you. You give them power of influence (as you listen to what they say). You give them the power of interruption (as you take a phone call at any time). You give them the power of injury (as those that are closest to you have the most ability to hurt you) And you give them the power of inspiration (as they will inspire you in either a good or bad way).
Don’t let the people in your life keep you from being you. There is only one of you. God created you to be unique. Don’t succumb to the pressure of conforming to others. We are NOT to be transformed into their image; rather, we are to be transformed into His image (Romans 12).
So, how do I know if there is a wrong “who” in my life? Here are a few questions:
• Do the cause me to love God more?
• Do they have a passion for reaching others?
• Do they celebrate God’s blessings in my life/church?
• Do they live what they believe?
• Do I trust them to make the call when I am not there?
