The Friends You Choose at 15 Might Be the Ones Praying Over Your Hospital Bed at 75 (Yes, It’s Really That Serious)

“I was a fortunate teenager…  

As a freshman in high school I fell in with a group of Jesus-loving, soul-winning, on-fire teenagers. Fifty-plus years later most of them are still my best friends. I can call them at 2 a.m. when life hurts and they’ll pray heaven down. Those are the kind of friends you need.”

That wasn’t some preacher making something up. That was a 66+ years old me ruminating on how fortunate I am Fifty years later I'm still reaping the harvest of the choice i made at fourteen.

And that’s exactly why I’m yelling into the internet void today:

Your teenage squad isn’t just “people you hang with.”

They are the architects of your future soul.

The Bible doesn’t mince words:

- “Walk with the wise and become wise; hang with fools and you WILL be destroyed.” (Prov. 13:20)  

- “Bad company corrupts good character.” (1 Cor. 15:33)  

- One bad decision with the wrong crowd cost Rehoboam 80% of Israel’s kingdom… in a single afternoon (1 Kings 12).

Your heart right now is wet cement.  

Every Snapchat streak, every group chat meme, every “harmless” party is someone putting their boot print on concrete that will harden forever.

But here’s the part that makes me want to shout from the rooftops:

If you lock arms TODAY with the “weird” kids who:  

- actually bring their Bible to school  

- go soul-winning on Saturday instead of sleeping in  

- dress modestly because they fear God more than fashion  

- would rather pray than post thirst traps  

…then in fifty years YOU will be the gray-haired warrior who stands up and says, “I still have friends I can call when hell breaks loose.”

Parents, stop acting like “everybody needs friends.”  

Your kid needs the RIGHT friends. Fight for it. Move if you have to. Drive an hour to youth conference if you must. Do whatever it takes.

Teenagers, look around your youth group this week.  

That “too holy” kid everyone mocks?  

That girl who always has a gospel tract in her pocket?  

That boy who blushes at dirty jokes?  

They are literal gold.  

Cling to them like your eternity depends on it—because it does.

Jesus is the Friend who sticks closer than a brother.  

But most of the time He delivers that friendship through a handful of sold-out teenagers who chose Him over cool.

So choose.  

Right now.  

Your future spouse, your future kids, your future ministry, your future deathbed peace…  

They’re all watching the decision you make this year about who sits at your lunch table.

Choose Jesus.  

Choose His people.  

And fifty years from now you’ll still have someone to call when the lights go out.

Who’s in your circle?  

Drop a 🔥 below if you’re ready to choose godly friends—no matter the cost.

DMMC 

12-7-25