Bad influences
Hello everyone!
I truly believe the people we choose to voluntarily spend our quality time with are one of the
most significant decisions we can make in our lifetime. There is no doubt that we have all had to deal with bad influences in our lives. A bad influence is simply defined as, “Something or someone that encourages wrong actions and thoughts by example.” In other words, they cause or encourage you to have bad behavior and/or make bad decisions. Today, I want to talk about three types of people who can be a bad influence in your life.
First, Yes-Men can be a bad influence in your life. Yes-men are those individuals who always
agree with you no matter how wrong or foolish your decisions are. They have a habit of
endorsing your foolishness and turning a blind eye to your sinful behavior. Yet, King Solomon warns us in Proverbs 27:6, “Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.” A yes-man is not doing you any favors by refusing to speak up when you are wrong. Yes-men are certainly bad influences in our lives.
Second, Half-Hearted Christians can be a bad influence in your life. They are people who give their hearts to Jesus through His work of salvation, but never fully commit their lives to Him. 1 Corinthians 15:33 says it in this manner, “Do not be deceived: Bad company corrupts good morals.” In other words, if you are not careful, half-hearted Christians will slowly pull you away from experiencing a life altering, authentic relationship with God. In fact, if given the chance, they will give you a million reasons why status quo Christianity is the life for you.
Third, those with Mixed Up Priorities can be a bad influence in your life. Amos 3:3 says it best, “How can two walk together unless they are agreed?” Truthfully speaking, two people cannot travel together if they are headed in different directions. In the same way, you cannot have a close friendship with a person who has a different set of goals, priorities, and values. Therefore, unless one of you is willing to abandon your current path, traveling together is not a viable option.
Yes, we have all had to deal with bad influences over the years. However, if we reframe from
having close friendships with Yes-Men, Half-Hearted Christians, and those who have Mixed Up Priorities; it will help us to avoid a lot of unnecessary pain and problems in our life. Life can be challenging enough without inviting a bad influence in making things even more difficult. I leave you today with the chilling words found in Proverbs 13:20, “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a comparison of fools suffers harm.”
Blessings!!!