King Solomon penned sage advice for all to live by. In his
memorable words, “He who walks with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of
fools shall be destroyed.” (Proverbs 13:20) Today’s key question to ponder
is simply this: DO YOUR CLOSEST ASSOCIATES BRING HELP OR HARM INTO YOUR LIFE?
Consider the story of the powerful king who unwisely chose a monkey as
his dearest companion and friend.
In a distant land, there was a king who had a monkey that was not
only his pet; he was indeed his best friend. The king loved that monkey very
much, so he fed him scrumptious fruits from the royal orchards and dressed him
in the finest garments in the land.
In fact, the king trusted his monkey friend so much that he decided
to make him his personal guard. That way, he would have his good friend
alongside at all times. Once this decision was made, the king took his
monkey friend everywhere, from the battleground to the court, and on every
royal journey throughout the kingdom.
The monkey apparently loved the king with the same degree of intensity
and was most delighted and proud to have been appointed as his personal guard.
He resolved to carry out his duties with utmost energy and devotion. While the king slept, it was his monkey
friend’s job to guard the royal bed chambers. He would faithfully see to
it that nothing would disturb the king from getting much needed rest. He
even fanned the king to maximize his comfort while he slept.
Daily, the royal bed chambers were bedecked with a variety of
gorgeous and fragrant flowers. Attracted by the alluring aroma of these
flowers, a rather determined bee buzzed in through an open window while the
king took his royal nap. As was his custom, the monkey sat by the king’s
bed, carefully protecting and fanning him.
Once the diligent monkey spotted the intrusive bee, he tried to chase it
away by using his fan. But the bee lingered tenaciously, buzzing dangerously
close to the king’s face.
After continuous efforts to discharge the bee, the monkey became
rather angry. At that moment, the bee settled itself on the king’s
forehead. By now, the monkey was totally outraged. Caught up in his
devoted zeal to protect the king, the monkey drew the king’s sword which had
been laid on a nearby table. He hoisted the sword high in the air to strike
down the bee that now rested on the king’s forehead. Alas, the unwise
friend and appointed protector split the royal head in two, bringing on the
king’s untimely demise.
Think. We are not only known by the company we keep, our
eternal destiny is directly impacted (for better or worse) by those with whom
we closely associate. What does your selection of friends reveal about
your wisdom and your character, or lack of the same? And how will those
choices ultimately affect your God-ordained purpose, dreams and destiny?
Could there be a dangerous ‘monkey’ inside your chamber?
Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all
else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING. Maranatha!
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