Be not envious of evil men,
nor desire to be with them,
2 for their hearts devise violence,
and their lips talk of trouble.
As children, we wanted to be like our heroes and we took on their habits and, worse in the case of some musicians and actors, their lifestyles. Many a James Dean fan in the 50’s and 60’s met a similar fate from car crashes in imitation of their idol. The bad influence of the wrong sort of friends also has caused dismay for families. The proverb above warns against this sort of infatuation with the wrong sort. There is, in fact, a part of us that loves to go rogue at times but it is just that part of us that this proverb would have us get rid of. When we love the Lord, the Bible says, we hate evil and avoid it at all costs.
Unfortunately, we have lost sight of this teaching. Even our churches seek to take on the habits and lifestyles of the culture of today. Still other church leaders desire to be like the culture and pattern their churches and lives after what will attract young people. What will attract young and old is a way out of the trappings of this world through the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus railed against the world in the gospels and the church proceeds to imitate it. This would be a good time for the church to set about looking different from the world by imitating Christ instead of the world. Let the world envy our joy today.
Dear Lord, thank you for the good news that supersedes all the bad news about the world.
Thank you that you have conquered the world for your people. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Pastor Brad Boyer
Cape Community Church