Do you ever find yourself taking on someone else's habits/mannerisms after you've hung out with them for a while?
Whether it be a friend or aquantence, you seem to take on their attitude, or sayings.
I know that sometimes how I talk/react to a person depends first on how they interact with me. If a person is warm and welcoming I find myself opening up and being friendly back. I would hope that that is not true if a person is cold to me and that I would in turn be cold back but they can just take more effort on my part and be harder to hang out with comfortably. I wouldn't be myself around them as with those I feel comfortable with.
For example I will act a certain way with certain people, NOT saying that I change who I AM but rather what I do/act based on what I know about that person. Two of my roommates over the years have been those specific people. At summer camp this year I "roomed" with the girls director, Chiara Stellacci for a while and I found myself talking like her sometimes or acting like her after hanging out for a while. Her caring and charismatic personality was "wearing off" on me in a positive way. I found myself trying to be more caring and accepting of others because that is the way SHE is. And the occassional expressions she would use would often escape my own mouth without me even realizing it sometimes.
Another such person is my current roommate here at Southern, Nicole Ley. She's a person whose positive influence is "rubbing off" on me. If you don't know her, I HIGHLY recommend that you get to know her! She has a huge heart and a high-energy spirit!! She is so much fun and I find myself wanting to be a happier person when I'm around her. When she talks there is a sparkle in her eyes like a joy for life, and she listens when you talk to her with all her attention. I strive to be like these two amazing women of God and I feel like I'm a better person for knowing them and having them in my life. I hope that never changes and our friendships don't die. My mannerisms are still my own personality they are just made better around these people.
Speaking of mannerisms, makes me think of families. Don't you find yourself in a situation and someone notices how much you sound like your mother or father or you act like your brother or sister?. Growing up in my home, many positive solid foundations were laid for my life. I would watch my parents and learn from what they did. I began to act like them and speak like them (and I still do:). So in a sense they've worn off on me:)! I often get the remark that I laugh JUST LIKE my mom and smile like my dad. When I'm being silly or playing around I sometimes act like my brother. I've taken their positive examples and strive to always work harder and do better because of their influence on me.
So the argument definetly does stand that whoever you choose to hang around with, will affect who you are. They will "rub off" on you whether you see it happening or not. Are you hanging around with friends who will make you want to strive to be a better, happier, more christ-like, loving, accepting, and joyful person? Or are you taking on their negative traits? Who we spend time with affects the people we become. SO spending time with Christ can only mean ONE thing. We become more like Him. That's definetly a positive relationship! the more time you spend with HIM the more his character will "rubb off" onto you!! That's awesome. Want to become a more Christ-like person? Hang out with Chirst. you can't go wrong there!
