Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”

— 1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV)

As many students — both young and old — begin preparing to return to school all across the globe, the feeling of “first-day jitters” is starting to creep into many student’s minds. Whether you’re starting middle school, high school, your first year of college, or graduating, the pressures of making good first impressions in a new environment are something that students from every kind of background, ethnicity, or country can relate to on some level. 

First impressions are something we all find important — it’s natural for us to want to fit in, interact with, and make friends with our peers. And as we take the time to choose how to present ourselves, our personalities, and our unique traits, it’s important that we also take the time to choose the right friends and invest our time and energy into the right relationships. But how do we know what kind of people or friendships we should pursue?

First Corinthians 15:33 (NIV) says, “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’” It’s crucial to remember during the Back-to-School season that the type of friends and relationships you create can have an affect on your identity in Christ! How? Friendships — the people you spend time with — shape your character and who you are. 

In His Word, God warns that we should choose our friends wisely because the people we spend the most time with so often influence and define our worldviews, philosophies, habits, self-image, environments, biases, preferences, etc. This is why it’s so vital that our friendships and those we hold nearest and dearest should live lives that are centered around Christ Jesus and include things like love, honesty, respect, encouragement, and accountability. 

As you transition back into attending classes, studying, and socializing with your peers and classmates, be encouraged to evaluate your relationships and friendships — both old and new. Friendships that are centered around the Lord do not promote hate, destruction, or carelessness, or stifle your spiritual and emotional growth. Loving and supportive friendships will never tempt you to engage in sinful acts and behaviors or lead you down self-centered, destructive, or jealous paths. True, godly friends won’t distort your view of the truth or distract you from your God-given purpose but will inspire, motivate, and encourage you to stay on God’s path — never straying from what you know in your heart and by faith to be true. 

Remember this wise advice from the Scripture as you rejoin your friends and begin forming new relationships this school year: 

The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

— Proverbs 12:26 (NIV)

Hebrews 10:24 (NKJV) — And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works. 

1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV) — Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”

Proverbs 12:26 (NIV) — The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray. 

Proverbs 27:17 (NIV) — As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.