Momentum For Monday, October 16th 2023

“Do not be so deceived and misled! Evil companionships (communion, associations) corrupt and deprave good manners and morals and character.” (1 Corinthians 15:33)

Who a person surrounds themselves with could be a benefit or a detriment. To properly tend to overall wellness, community is necessary. Fortunately for the Christian, the Church is a divine design of wisdom. It's statistically proven that healing occurs most in community. Spiritual community should heal at the deepest part of the soul.

Now, I know there’s those of you who, like me, that need to reset or recharge with down-time. There’s a difference in recharging and isolation though. To go it alone and isolate ourselves is not wise and actually proves to be a costly trap. What you detach from and draw yourself to in your down-time is the difference.

I have mentioned it before and it is worth mentioning again, a wonderful mentor taught me early on a saying. She drilled it into her youth groups and leaders a quote I have never forgotten. “Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future.” While this served very well for my younger self, it still serves as being vitally important as an adult as well (because let me tell you, I’ve made some costly mistakes in this area).

Let me go a bit further with this- just because a person goes to church or claims to be a “do-gooder” doesn’t mean we shouldn’t guard our hearts and utilize wisdom in boundaries. The Apostle Paul would often warn people through his Epistles of certain behaviors going on within a church. Unfortunately, not every person is safe for us to be around mentally, emotionally, spiritually, or physically.

Be careful of the company you keep on intimate levels. We need community, but we have to walk in wisdom in those communities. Boundaries are a great tool to love people without it costing you your peace of mind and overall wellness. Yes, we should love people because God commanded us to, but those relationships shouldn’t hinder the most important relationship of all- the one we have with God.

“Above all else, guard your affections. For they influence everything else in your life.”

(Proverbs 4:23)