Why as professing followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, do we believe we can't be influenced by worldliness? Why do we think we know better and can handle it when we read, watch, and spend considerable amount of precious time, consuming trashy influences? If you're answering, "I can handle it, then you're a stronger person than I am!
It's the same
as saying, "one bad apple can spoil
the whole bunch." Let’s say one of your friends in your circle fits this
description, but you’re letting it slide because it’s easier than dealing with
it. The phrase is not the exact words of a Bible verse, but here is the actual
verse: “Do not be deceived. Bad company corrupts good morals.” Here's
the truth to back me up because God is all-wise and all-knowing and He shares His wisdom
with everyone who seeks it. "Walk with the wise and become wise,
for a companion of fools suffers harm" (Proverbs 13:20).
Now take a closer
look at creation and take a moment to rediscover the wonder of how God
brilliantly created life in all forms; people, plants, flowers, trees, animals,
sea creatures, birds of the air, and how
all these forms of life grow and flourish in accordance with His good pleasure.
Remember, it’s written in the book of Genesis, He first created all life, and He
called everything He made, “Good.”
And He tells us in
John 15:16, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and
bear fruit—fruit that will last.” The fruit He’s talking about is found in
Galatians 5:22, the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, and self-control,” Now who doesn’t want a whole lot of
that? Well, then we should be wise about the company we keep. God didn’t make
things spoil and rot, sin (bad choices) makes that happen.
Look at it this way. Ask any
wise, loving, attentive parent what they do if they notice a change in their
child's behavior, lying, foul language, becoming rude, and disrespectful. An
attentive parent will discover who their child has been playing with, or what
they've been watching or reading, and will put a stop to that ASAP. Right? They
seek out who or what is influencing them.
We all will reveal the truth about ourselves, often unwittingly, because we can only fake it for so long. And I've learned this in my journey -- when someone shows us who they really are we need to believe them! Here’s the full quote from Author Maya Angelou, “When someone shows you who they are believe them the first time. People know themselves much better than you do. That’s why it’s important to stop expecting them to be something other than who they are.” Gossip. Lying. Jealousy. Fake. Unreliable. Controlling. Full of Self. Yep. Then, wisdom says, “Run, Forrest, Run!”
Yes, we have free will to choose the company we keep. No problem. The invitation to choose wisely is there for everyone. But not everyone will say, "Yes, Lord." But if we want to live a fruitful life filled with the kind of fruit that will last, we should seek Jesus as our Lord and the Master Gardner of our life! The fruit Jesus provides never rots! The fruit of the Spirit of God: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are really what our hearts are longing for, anyway.
We will never find ourselves in better Company than with Jesus as our Constant Companion who will lead us into a fruitful and everlasting life!
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Polly