The way we think and what we think determines our attitudes and actions toward others.
When someone dislikes another person, they will interpret everything that person does as inferior, second-class, or unacceptable in some way.
To come to conclusions about a person who is disliked, one must make judgments without all the information. Often, these judgements are based on snippets of information and gossip without regard to facts and authenticity. They will assume the person is bad because they dislike them.
The same is true for someone who is loved and elevated above others. Those who love the elevated person will interpret everything that person does as always good without regard to the nuances surrounding their life. They will assume the person is good because they like them.
In both instances of favoritism or disfavor, the one who evaluates another based on their personal bias will not see things in truth but rather what they wish to believe about the person who is their target, either the favored one or the disfavored one.
When we love others, we do not base our relationship on whether or not we dislike them. We treat all people with respect, always operating from discernment to be able to see things in truth. Some people we will avoid because they are evil, and others we will embrace because they walk with Christ.
Our close friends will be those who think in the same way we do, for the most part. Those who cannot be our close friends are those who think entirely differently from us on important Spiritual matters.
Those who are destructive to us and others cannot be considered friends; they may be acquaintances we keep at arm's length, but not friends we can trust.
Romans 16:17
"17 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them."
We must not act as the rebellious man does, that is, treat others disrespectfully, but we can ignore those who cause trouble, keep personal confidences to ourselves, and only trusted friends who have been proven to be godly and respectful of our privacy will be in our inner circle. Most of all, those who are respectful of our faith and our walk with Christ must be our close friends.
Those who do not walk with Christ as a lifestyle will influence us to walk in the manner they walk. The pressure to be like them is enormous, even if subtle.
Proverbs 13:14
"14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
To turn aside from the snares of death."
Those who love ritualistic religion more than Christ will pressure us to follow their ways over the ways of Christ. They will judge things about us and things we do that are not accurate because they think with the mind of someone who evaluates all things based on their feelings and false teachings, not on the Word of God.
Galatians 6:12
"12 All who want to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, simply so that they will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ."
Proverbs 16:17
"17 The highway of the upright is to turn away from evil;
One who watches his way protects his life."
1 Peter 4:10–11
"10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."
Only friends who are walking with Christ will serve to the glory of God; those who are not born again serve their own glory.
Our friends must be those who love Christ as much as we do, walk in humility, and encourage and endorse what God loves.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 "4 Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant. 5 It does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, does not keep an account of a wrong suffered, 6 it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 it keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."
Pray for discernment to be able to walk with Christ without the hindrance of evil companions who will attempt to drag you away from God's Word through manipulation, even the manipulation of twisted Scripture to make their argument sound good.
The devil's favorite tactic is to cause believers to feel ashamed of doing what is right. He will even use scripture out of context and add what is not in context to bring about doubt, humiliation, and embarrassment for obeying God.
1 John 4:1
"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world."
Romans 12:2
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God."
May each one reading this pray for discernment and the strength to walk away from those who keep them debased and devalued, discouraging righteousness while promoting willfulness.
