Chaps' Tent: Surround yourself with good people in your social groups

I remember the clique I ran with during high school, cruising and going places together. Then, there were the young airmen back in my enlisted Air Force time. Those were fun days.

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Coming home from Vietnam and beginning college at Lake Sumter Community College, I became closely associated with English instructor James Rennie, a Scottish-American who had served with the RAF during WW2.

We put together a Veterans Club which served as a place for veterans to meet and enjoy fellowship and share stories. It was enlightening to know that one of my teachers cared enough for veterans to form a special group.

If you are like most people, you have a small handful of people that you associate with, especially when it comes to social gatherings such as church, club, community, and just plain everyday life.

Groups can be a strong influence on you, your thought patterns, and actions. If you’re strong enough in your own beliefs and ethics, you might be a good influence in any group.

However, you can also be influenced by others, which means that it’s important not to get involved with those whose ways are not God’s ways.

You may want to take a moment to evaluate who you associate with. Know how they think, what their ambitions are, and especially how they act.

Note how they view things and, if necessary disassociate with them if you find their influence too strong and you find yourself on the wrong path, neglecting the things that are right and honorable. (c.f. 2 Corinthians 6:14-18) “. . . go out from their midst . . . ”"

CHAPS OUT!

This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: Chaps' Tent: Surround yourself with good people in your social groups