Thursday, May 26, 2016

AFFECTIVE OR INFECTED?






Psalm 1:1-3Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers.  But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night.  They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season.  Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.

This seems like a no brainer.   The sheer thought of following the wicked or standing around sinners is something that would never cross my mind.  Yet as believers we are called to reach out to the lost and broken?   So this sort of sounds opposite of what Jesus taught, so what does this verse relate to the teachings of Jesus?  After all He hung around sinners and those others considered wicked.  I have a feeling these verses are talking about constantly hanging around the wicked and sinners.   I may be wrong, I may be confused but I don't think so.   You see there is a big difference in following the wicked and just hanging around them.   There is a difference in standing around and joining in with sinners and simply being around them.   The difference here, I believe, is being there so that possibly our beliefs could affect the 

wicked and the sinners and not letting their lifestyles infect our beliefs.  

Am I making sense?   Let's  take a look at our health medically.    You cannot catch health.  If there is someone your around who eats healthy and exercises, you probably won't catch their healthy way of living unless it inspires you.  On the other hand if you are around someone with the flu, you have a great chance of being infected by the flu bug.   Do you get what I'm saying?   I hope so.   

You see when I read these verses it inspires me because when seek the truth of God's word, when we follow His laws, it brings life to us.   It renews us, it refreshes us, it helps us be fruitful in serving Him.  The way we live our everyday life, the way we talk, the way we treat others can influence others in a great way.   The way we handle the storms and trials in our life can also influence others.   The thing we need to remember is we are God's representatives on Earth.  If we act like everyone else, if we act wicked, what is that saying about God?

We need to be around the sinners and wicked but while doing so we need to constantly follow God's law and live like Jesus did.  We need to be a living example of Jesus in a wicked and sinful world.   But in doing so we must never act or feel like we're better than anyone else because we're not!   We are all sinners!  And we can all still be wicked!   But luckily, as believers, we have the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ to forgive us and get us back on the right path.    

Do you want to succeed in life?  Do you want to affect others in a positive way?  Do 
you want your life to change?  Who are you allowing to infect you?   Who are you 
affecting?

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