Skip to main content

Walk, Stand, Sit

             Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.(Psalm 1:1-2)

It is reported among the nations—and Geshem says it is true—that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building the wall. Moreover, according to these reports you are about to become their king and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem: “There is a king in Judah!” Now this report will get back to the king; so come, let us meet together…

One day I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home. He said, “Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and let us close the temple doors, because men are coming to kill you—by night they are coming to kill you.” (Nehemiah 6:6-7 & 10)

Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” (I Corinthians 15:33)

I’m still feeling the influence of yesterday’s three words:  uncompromising, teamwork, and competition. Generally, we look at the Psalm 1 passage as illustrating I Corinthians 15:33, and it does do that. But how does it do so? Usually, a process that begins with walking and ends with sitting (and eating) is described, and the process happens because we compromise.

In fact, we’re likely to hear compromise described as a good and humble thing. Only the arrogant and bigoted refuse to compromise. But those who say it are likely to take one step toward you in “compromise” and call on us to take ten steps forward while they take at least two backward. They may or may not realize that’s what they’re doing. We might or might not notice when we do the same.

Does all this mean that we should never interact with “them” (whoever “they” are)? Some will point out that Jesus ate with sinners and Gentiles. This is true, but in order for Jesus to not walk, stand, sit, or eat with sinners, He would have had to become a hermit – living, walking, standing, sitting, and eating all by Himself. And while He ate with and ministered to sinners, He never compromised. He never said their sins were not sins or that their committing them was no big deal.

We need to be uncompromising in our faith, principles, behavior. Compromise is ultimately harmful to all concerned. Even putting oneself in a position to appear to have compromised may harm your testimony, and that is what happens when we walk, stand, or sit with those who seek our compromise. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Saved?

  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:28-30) “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ ” (Matthew 7:21-23) Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written: “So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.” (Romans 3:4)   What conclusion do you draw when someone who was raised in a Christian family and church, perhaps even playing a significant role in a chur...
Post a Comment
Read more

A Virgin?

           Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)           This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1:18)           But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”            “How will this be,” Mary asked the...
Post a Comment
Read more

Meditations of the Heart

  May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. (Psalm19:14)           As I started writing this post, I noted that the meditations of my heart are all over the mental landscape, from a hub where eight superhighways come together to a lunar or nuclear landscape. Do you see my error? The moment I read the word meditation , I think about thoughts. But what’s described here is the meditations of our hearts ; our wills.           While the meditations of our minds may be all over the place, the meditations of our wills tend to be a little more stable by the time we are adults. We no longer tend to want to pursue the ten separate careers we did in any given day as children. Part of this is humble acceptance of reality. We come to understand that we can’t do it all. I think another part of it is disappointmen...
Post a Comment
Read more