Day Fifteen
Tolerance in most forms is a very good thing; in fact there are a lot of bad things happening in this world today because of a lack of tolerance. As a reaction to this there has developed a philosophy of universal tolerance that makes us feel that we should embrace all beliefs and all behaviors as not wrong but just different. Don’t get me wrong God loves ALL people regardless of their belief or behavior, he died for them all, and it’s His job not ours to change them into His likeness.
BUT… the bible does have a lot to say about the company we keep and it’s influence on us. I know as a teenager I had a friendship group that didn’t have the same values that God began to challenge me to embrace when I was just 17. It wasn’t long before I realized that I could no longer spend the time I used to in their company. It was stealing my faith; the faith that God was challenging me to grow!
The Apostle Paul writes this to Timothy sensing the same struggle in him:
“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 (ESV)
1 Corinthians 15:33 says:
Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”
Proverbs 13:20 ESV
Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.
Proverbs 22:24 ESV
Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man,
2 Peter 3:17 ESV
You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability.
I don’t know about you, but I have spent time in people’s presence and felt contaminated and drained afterwards! Not only do I want to be someone who ignites and encourages faith in others, but I also want to be around people that do the same for me!
The Bible clearly teaches that the stability of your faith and the development of it are affected by the company you keep.
Today take stock of the people you are spending your time with. Make sure that the time you are spending is invested wisely into those who allow your faith to grow and multiply; people who encourage your faith, and help you build a deposit of faith that will make you rich in faith.
Scripture to meditate on: 2 Timothy chapter 3