Connect with the Right People

We can only go so far in life on our own. When we connect with people who are more talented, successful, and further along, their influence is going to flow down to us. You will witness increase and promotion because of association.

C.S. Lewis said, "The next best thing to being wise oneself is to live in a circle of those who are." You should be connected to people who inspire, encourage, and empower you. They will challenge you and help you become a better version of you.

Did you know that Thomas Edison, Harry Firestone, and Henry Ford all had summer homes next door to one another in Florida? They were close friends and would spend much of their time together. Notice that they did not associate with just anyone. They hung out with other dreamers and visionaries. Is it any surprise that they inspired others, invented things, and became history makers?

God has some power-associations in store for you too! However, they will not simply waltz into your life. You must actively search for them. When you associate with someone who is favored by God, take the time to learn from them, sow into them, and speak into their lives. The more blessed they are, the more blessed you will become. 

The people we spend our time with have tremendous influence in our lives. When we choose our friends wisely, we begin to see growth in ourselves, our families, our businesses, and our careers. It is alright to help those who are in need, but if they become our only friends then we can quickly stifle our own growth. 

The Bible says that Daniel had an excellent spirit. When you study his life, you discover that he had excellent friends. Three of them were Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They refused to bow down before the king's golden idol. Is it any wonder that Daniel was a person of excellence? His teenage friends had integrity, courage, big dreams, and would not compromise. We do not have to have a “better than you” attitude but we can choose friends who challenge us to go higher. 

As a minister, I meet many kinds of people and I am a friend to all. Nevertheless, I choose my inner circle very carefully. I pay attention to how people think, how they treat others, and how they act. If their words are negative, critical, or judgmental, I avoid them. I stay away from people who are all talk but no action. I minister to them, but I limit the time I spend with them. 

I have also learned about the balance of giving. Don’t become so busy serving others that you neglect to cultivate the relationships that will carry you. Don’t sacrifice your own happiness, trying to keep everybody else happy.  

Make sure that you have people in your life that you can rely on! God has friends lined up for you that do not need anything from you. They are stronger, smarter, more influential, and more experienced than you. You do not have to inspire them, they will inspire you. They will lift you up when you are feeling down. They will invite you to dinner. They will even introduce you to their connections. 

If you want to see increase, you must be generous with your time, energy, and resources. Honor those who have what you want. The anointing you respect is the anointing you will attract. On the other hand, you will never have what you constantly criticize. 

Friend, God is the greatest Force and Source in the universe. When you give God first place in your life, you will become the ultimate success. Your alignment is more important than your assignment! Like Edison, Firestone, and Ford, surround yourself with the right people. Successful people find themselves in the company of other successful people. Victorious people associate with other victorious people. Happy people hang around other happy people. 

This year, I encourage you to evaluate your friendships on a regular basis. Seek out people of excellence who are bigger, better, and brighter than you. God is poised to expose you to new heights. Make room for the new relationships that He has in store for you. Seek out people who think bigger, dream bigger, and believe bigger than you. God has already lined up the right relationships to advance you. Connect with the right people and you will increase by association! 

“Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble” (Proverbs 13:20 NLT).

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