Huwag kayong paloloko. “Ang masasamang kasama’y nakakasira ng magagandang ugali.”

1 Mga Taga-Corinto 15:33

May kasabihan, “Tell me who your friends are, and I’ll tell you who you are.” Sinasabi rito na kung ano ang ugali, paninindigan, paniniwala, at kinikilos ng kaibigan mo ay may malaking impluwensiya rin sa pagkatao mo. Kung ang ugali niya ay masama, ikakasira mo rin ito.

As human beings, we want to belong and be accepted. But the need to be in a friend group does not free us from the responsibility of choosing our group wisely. Our choice of friends is critical not only to our social existence but also to our personal well-being. Hindi maipagkakaila na malaki ang impluwensya ng mga taong nakapaligid sa atin. To say that we can’t be swayed by bad influence is easier said than done. Ilan na bang kabataan ang nakita nating napariwara dahil sa maling barkadang sinalihan? Ilan na ba ang teenagers ang natutong magrebelde at sumagot-sagot sa mga magulang dahil iyon ang nakikita nila sa mga kaibigan nila? Ilan na ba ang estudyanteng nahulihang may kodigo kapag exams dahil iyon ang gawain ng friends niya? And most of the time, the weak ones, maging bata, teenager, o adults man, give in to the pressure para lang hindi sila ma-ostracize at mapaghigantihan.

Let 1 Corinthians 15:33 remind us of what will happen if we choose to be in bad company. It corrupts good character. Proverbs 13:20 (BSB) also says, “He who walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed.” Do we want to be destroyed? And get into trouble? And suffer harm? Then let us surround ourselves with people who will affect us in inspiring and wholesome ways. Let us stick with people who will be encouragers and not discouragers. People who will help us seek God and motivate us to do good, pursue good, and inflict good toward others.