Birds of a Feather...

Birds of a Feather, Flock Together...

14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?16What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said:“I will live with them and walk among them,and I will be their God,and they will be my people.”- 2 Corinthians 6:14-16

2 Corinthians 6:14-16 is something I really struggled with, first in my romantic relationships then in my friendships. Most of us are very familiar with the verse in the context of a romantic relationship. We have all heard some sermon about not being yoked up with a boyfriend/girlfriend who doesn’t believe what you believe (or that can't grow with you in Christ). Many verses in the Bible show the downfall of men who get distracted by significant others who aren’t fully committed to Christ or God and his laws (ahem King Solomon). I made the mistake of just taking my ex boyfriends at their words: “Oh yeah, I’m a Christian...” But their lives said something completely different. Even the way they treated me said something completely different. I mean, it made sense because I was the same way. I was a “professing Christian” but a “walking atheist”, no surprise that the men I attracted were the same way.

Little did I know, this verse applied to anyone we were in close relationship with. Meaning your close friends are essentially “yoked up” with you.Imagine you and all of the Christians you know are running a very race toward the finish line (Christ, and living forever in heaven. Yayyy!!). We are all encouraging each other and picking each other up when we fall flat on our faces. You are running with a friend who isn’t really a believer (whether she professes atheist or lives atheist)... She stops and turns in the opposite direction and begins walking in that direction. Since she is your friend, you stop too and try and drag her with you (of course this isn’t going to work if she is walking the opposite direction). This slows you down as well. This is essentially what it is like to have close associates and friends who are not believers. Imagine a basketball team in the championship round and one of the point guards decides he wants to be a ballerina instead of a baller during the game... Even worse, imagine him saying that he is good and going out on the floor and doing ballet!! What even!??! It isn’t going to be beneficial for the team to have him out there.

So I am not saying that you should drop all of your friends that don’t believe or don’t show with their actions that they believe. “Bye girl, you aren’t Christian enough”. PLEASE DON’T DO THAT!! THAT’S NOT LOVE!!! (Unless God calls you to do that... if he does, be obedient.) What I’m saying is be very careful with your CLOSE friendships. God places everyone in your life for a reason, yes... But God also wants to protect you and make sure that you get back to him. He might remove some people from your life so that you don’t get distracted and so you remember that you are going somewhere after this world. If you see people slipping as you get closer to God, count it all joy and recognize God working in your life. As you continue to get closer to God he will reveal the purpose for everyone in your life. 

A true friend is someone who pushes you towards a better and more fulfilling relationship with Christ. God isn’t going to place someone super close to you that is going to draw you away from him... Think about it. If you are still associating with people who are not Christian, praise God. However, remember that they are probably affecting you more than you are affecting them. Its easier for darkness to affect light than the other way around. Obey God FIRST and listen to what he wants you to do with that relationship. 

So remember:

1. Friends are people who push you toward Christ! Your friends want what’s best for you, right? Christ and a relationship with God are the absolute best things this life has to offer.
2. Don’t just drop people because they aren’t Christians. Ask God to reveal people to you and reveal who he wants in your life and who he does not want there. If he keeps some people there and you aren’t sure why, ask about their purpose in your life. He might want you to influence them in a positive way. REMEMBER!! In order for this to happen, you must allow Holy Spirit to SHOW them the light through your life. Surrender to him completely, every day. 
3. It is so much easier for someone to be pulled off a chair than to pull someone on it. It will be easier for your friends to influence you negatively than for you to “save them”. 

**** Again, YOU cannot save anyone!!! Only Holy Spirit can do that. Don’t try and drag someone and get them saved!! It doesn’t work like that!! Allow Holy Spirit to work on them.

I realize that this devotional will be a little hard for some people. I just don’t want anyone to be hurt if their friends fall off for unknown reasons. God knows what he is doing in your life and the people he puts there have a purpose. I love you all!

Sincerely,

Lise, A4C

P.S. If anyone has any prayer requests, please email back and we will pray for you :) 

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