EVIL COMPANY CORRUPTS GOOD HABITS

Tuesday 21

“Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits."”
1 Corinthians 15:33 (NKJV)
READ: 1 Corinthians 5:1–13; 15:33,34
This passage of the Bible cannot be overemphasised. Believers should be careful of the company they keep. They should be wary of those they allow in their space.
• You should keep your privacy.
• You should not just allow whoever into your life, especially those who are yet to be reborn.
• Even among the reborn believers, you should still be wary of false brethren.

Apostle Paul in his experience shared about the danger of false brethren (2 Corinthians 11:26). Even among the people he raised, those who can be considered his proteges or spiritual sons, some of them betrayed him and deserted him when he needed them most, at the time of distress (2 Timothy 1:15; 4:10,16). What am I saying? You should be circumspect of the company you keep.

If you keep a wrong company or you find yourself in a wrong relationship, whatever good habits you have might be corrupted. Relationship is about influence. If you are relating with someone as a friend, one way or another, what the person does will rub off on you. In other words, some of the things the person does would be imparted to your life, knowingly or unknowingly. Human beings are relational beings, and through relationships, a number of things are deposited in your life.

If you relate with a wrong person, either a believer or an unbeliever, the fruit of it will manifest in your life. A relationship could either be a plus or a minus. There is no relationship that will leave you neutral. You are either impacted positively or negatively. Whatever wrong is in the life of the person you are relating with can be deposited in your life, and that could ruin the good habits you have built.

You should not be deceived by the charm, attractiveness or allurement of someone if the person has unwholesome attitudes or characters that do not befit a believer in Christ Jesus. Relationship is by choice and not by force. You can choose to relate with someone, and at the same time, you can choose not to. It takes two to agree. And two cannot walk together except they are agreed (Amos 3:3). You should be wary or careful of wrong people in your life.

REFLECT:
• Honestly evaluate the company you keep: are your closest relationships a positive or negative influence on your walk with God?
• Are there specific people in your life whose presence has begun to compromise your godly habits or values?
Peace.
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