There is no doubt in my mind that your choice of friendships will make or break you in life!  It's an absolute: We can tell who you are and where you are going by who you hang with.

It doesn't matter who you are - the people you hang around with will make the biggest impact in your life.  You will pick up their attitudes, their perspectives, their outlooks.

Now all we need some people we are trying to reach. We need people we just enjoy being with. We also need some people who stretch us.

However some of us need new friends. Some of us need to push delete on some old relationships.  If you don't - it will make a huge impact in the future.

You want to make sure the people you choose to share your life with are headed in the same direction you want to go.

2 Corinthians 6:14-15

Be intentional with your relationships. Make sure they are believers, full of faith, achieving, growing, loving God and loving His church.

Proverbs 27:17

Proverbs 13:20

There's a splash factor from those you hang with: You pick up wisdom when you hang around wise people. You pick up stupid when you're with stupid people

It's not rocket science. You hang around with dogs - you're going to get fleas.

1 Corinthians 15:33

Bad associations destroy a good ethos.  When you're working in the garden - the dirt does not get "glovey" - the glove gets dirty.  It's far easier to be pulled down than to pull up.

The opposite effect is true - good company lifts good morals.  Good friends lift, inspire, help, encourage and - when needed - they kick our butt.

Proverbs 22:24-25

There are many kinds of toxic relationships.  An angry relationship is one of them. 

It's possible to get snared in the anger of another person.

Anger can reveal itself in many ways - through controlling, manipulative, high maintenance relationships.

It's not your job to make them happy.

The best mode is for me to take care of me for your sake - you take care of you for my sake.

Get your happiness from God and bring that into your house, work and relationships.

Some of us have toxic relationships we need the courage to push delete on.

Don't allow drainers to put a guilt trip on you for their high maintenance needs.

Do not let difficult people run your life. They have learned to expect compliance as a reward for being difficult. 

Difficult people want to do their own thing, in their own time, in their own way, without interference.  They expect everyone around them to cooperate to ensure that this happens - and they do not see anything unreasonable about these expectations.

You can't change them - but you can change you.  In most relationships, we are treated exactly the way we allow ourselves to be treated.

Ephesians 4:15 -16

Life flows from the head - Christ - and through the joints - relationships. 

God gets His best to you through life-giving friendships.

Seek out and develop life-giving relationships - and, in turn, become a life-giving relationship.

We have tons of axioms around here but if there is one I don't mind repeating: You will become just like the people you hang out with.

No relationship can fill the part of your soul God is intended to fill - but to better your life develop more life-giving relationships - and fewer toxic ones!