No Companions

Proverbs 28:7 - Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son: but he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his father.

     As I stepped on the scale this morning I was a bit nervous. I was hoping that I had lost a little. I didn't do the best on eating, I did do better than when I was on vacation. I didn't exercise yesterday either, I have found it very difficult to get back in the "grove" again. As I looked down I saw that the scale said I had lost .2 pounds. O.K. maybe not the best but ANY weight loss at this time is a great encouragement.

    I have made it a routine to read through the book of Proverbs every month. As I was reading this morning I came across our verse today (at the top). The law here refers to simply the law of God (Ex. 20). A wise son is one who obeys God and His law. O.K. that sounds good, but I didn't understand the correlation between God's law and riotous men. The word riotous here means... are you ready for this?.... it means.... glutton! Yes that is what it means. So someone who is a companion of a glutton is a shame to his father. This made me take a few steps back.

     Have you ever heard the saying that your friends define who you are, or birds of a feather flock together? This verse gets deep here. A man who keeps the law of God found in Ex. 20 is wise. What does that law say? "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." NO other gods includes me. Gluttony is a sin of selfishness, or as one author wrote it is a sin of idolatry. I put myself first. When I am first I become my own god and thus I have broken the 1st of God's commands. This is why it is a shame to be a companion to a glutton, because that person is an idolater. Any person who puts puts himself first is not a person that people should make close companions. Remember "Birds of a feather..." My friends rub off on me. Now please understand I am not saying that anyone should shun someone because they are overweight, or not perfect, because that would mean we could not be with ourself since we are not perfect. I am saying that a person who lives to eat and puts their desires first is not a good person to be a companion to, the Bible says it is a shame. A person who is "fighting" these desires needs people to come along side him/her and lift him up in prayer. There is a difference between a glutton who does not care and someone who recognizes his sin and is striving to do what is right. Simply put, be careful who your friends are, people will "judge" based on testimony.