Of late I have seen a number of my Christian friends reposting things that sound good, but are most definitely not Christian in theme or nature. In fact they are Humanist, Buddhist or secularist philosophical thinking. What I am having the most problem with are these exhortations to surround yourself with the right kind of people. I know that many so-called Christian writers and inspirational teachers present these ideas under the guise of not keeping bad company (a biblical idea) or claiming that all wisdom comes from God. Truth be know is that God's wisdom seems like foolishness to the unspiritual unredeemed mind. Not everything that sounds good is from God. Proverbs 14:12 warns us that there is a way that seems right to us, but its end is death.
I think there are two things we should keep in mind. First, the life of Jesus and the words of Jesus and second, the words and actions of his followers. Jesus hung out with prostitutes and other sinners. Because of the company He kept, people even accused him of being a drunkard and a glutton. Clearly Jesus was not too worried about whom he kept company with. In fact it seemed that those parts of the Jewish culture that the religious/righteous people would eschew/avoid/reject were in fact attracted to Jesus.
If we look at Jesus' entourage, we will see people who might have killed one another under different circumstances. He had fishermen, who by nature can be a bit rough and tumble. He had a tax collector who was basically a Roman collaborator who took advantage of his fellow Jews. He had Simon the Zealot, who would have sworn to kill Romans and Roman sympathizers. He had a woman who had been filled with demons and may have been a prostitute. Clearly Jesus wasn't worried about being influenced by their company.
I know that the Apostle Paul warns us his letter to the Corinthians about keeping company with people who practiced all sorts of sin. But he spells out that this only applies to Christians who are unrepentant. He basically says that this doesn't apply to non-believers.
Now some of you might argue that we are not Jesus but isn't He the standard that we set for ourselves in conduct and compassion. In my book, if it is good enough for Jesus then it is good enough for me. Now we do need to be cautious about the people that we keep company with. We are warned not to be in business or relationships with non-believers. I think that it all comes down to who we are in Christ. Are we men and woman so full of Jesus that it attracts all kinds of people to us? Are we so filled with Him, that we become the one influencing others rather then the other way around?
Be careful not to swallow everything that sounds good or wise on the internet. There is lots of stuff that sounds good, but it really doesn't reflect the heart of a true follower of Jesus Christ. We are called to be salt and light. Light drives away darkness and attracts those looking to escape it. Salt flavors the lives of those who come in contact with us.
When we complain about the world, we are saying that Christ isn't enough. The world is filled with sin and evil. Sin and evil have no love for God, but sinners and those harmed by evil need a savior, a healer and a redeemer. We are the hands of feet of Jesus here on earth. We are ministers of reconciliation who can help the sinner find Christ. We are ambassadors of the Kingdom of Heaven who represent the interests of our Lord and King Jesus. Our lives must demonstrate the reality of Christ's redeeming work. And the only way we can do that is to be fully trusting in Him, spending time with Him in prayer, meditation and studying His Word. We have the answer - Christ in us, the hope of Glory.
I pray that you have been encouraged this day to live for Him. To not worry so much about what others may say about you but rather you would take comfort in knowing that Jesus has chosen you and sealed you with his Holy Spirit as proof that you are forever his. His words are the only ones that really matter. What does He say about you? What did He do for you? This is where our value is found. No amount of naysayers or grumblers can undo the work that He has done and will continue to do in each of us.
Blessings,
Preacher Al
