Being Careful About Your Friends

[Ramez5]

Psalm 101:4a I will not allow anyone with a perverted mind in my presence;

We always told our children to be careful about who they made friends with. It was obvious why. We become like the ones we love and care for. If you spend too much time with those who are lost, wicked, perverted, or just don't love God, you WILL be influenced by them.

King David is explaining how things are going to be in his home and in his presence. He will not allow anyone who is 'anti-God' or who loves evil or talks about evil or does it to 'hang out' with him.

Until a year ago, this was certainly not a big deal to me. Of course as a Mom I was very anxious if any of my kids made friends with a child who loved worldliness and lived in it. We were, as parents, very careful to make sure they didn't spend much time with someone like that.

But the same goes for us. Who are our friends? Co-workers, family members, neighbors.... any of these people who we, of course, want to show Christian love too, and pray for.. may sadly, fall in this category. What about blogging friends? Are you standing up for your faith. Do you find yourself making blogging friends.. becoming too close with those who do not love the Lord? This is simply not an option for any true believer.

We can pray for them.. and be kind.. but to be their close friends or companions we must not do. The danger of being affected by their mindset.. is too great. My pastor friend, Mike, said in any relationship one of two things is happening. YOU are influencing THEM or THEY are influencing YOU.

As someone who dearly loves people... and cares about their souls, this warning from Mike was critical. Very often, to win them, you must befriend them. But I had to be careful that I did not start to want to please them or earn their approval.

It has always been a danger for me. I don't know about you. Hopefully it's not your nature to be a people pleaser. Only this last couple of months have I begun to live truly free of that impulse. What I want now is only to please the Lord.

Yes I still care and pray for the lost... but I don't want to 'relate' to them to the point that they begin to influence me instead of the other way around.

Today, I know the Lord is leaning heavily on a point with me... in my effort to help a group of young adults on a computer server (two hours each evening after supper), I put myself in a vulnerable position. (I function as an administrator.. keeping the kids in line .. while teaching them how to build pretty buildings.)

These 'kids' are lost... truly lost.. and worse.. they fit the description of perverted in the true sense of the word. How my heart aches for them! They have been taught nothing but lies in the public school.. no moral absolutes.. no values.. no respect for parents. But on this server, they consider me 'mom' and send private messages... saying.. please, I need help or advice. Or they may just be lonely.. so many lonely teens--some even contemplating suicide. The computer world is a sad place.. and teens are far more lost and sick than you can even imagine. Until a year ago, I truly had no idea how bad our world really is.

The Lord has shown me clearly this week.. that it's fine to be an influence and an example.. but never a 'friend' in the sense of a companion. That I must keep distance and indeed be willing to suffer for the sake of Christ.. by always upholding God's law, his honor, his ways. If I can't do this, or feel awkward about it.. then I shouldn't be there.

Lord help me to shine your light in a dark and perverse world... where even your babes have been so led astray. You came to save sinners.. let me love them.. but be willing to call out the sin..if it is needed.

"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

[Mary Naeem]

Thanks Ramez

[walaa farouk]

Thanks Ramez