“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. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither – whatever they do prospers. Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.” – Psalms 1
The more we delight in God’s law, the more fruitful we become. Reading and meditating on God’s Word provides nourishment for our souls and reveals His nature to us, bringing us closer to Him. The better we know God, the better we understand how best to please Him,
But the people we associate with can have a huge influence on us. There’s an old saying that comes to mind: “Those who lie down with dogs get up with fleas.” So we must be mindful of the company we keep. Paul says in Galatians 6:7, “Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return.” If we spend time with those who mock and ridicule God, their attitude will affect ours. If we become indifferent toward God’s righteousness and holiness, then we may be complicit in their sin also.
This doesn’t mean that we’re to completely shun unbelievers. After all, we must have contact with them if we’re to witness to them. But in doing so, we must be vigilant in not conforming to the world’s attitudes and behaviors.
I like what John Calvin had to say about David’s thoughts in this opening Psalm. “The meaning of the psalmist is that it should always be well with God’s devout servants, whose constant endeavor it is to make progress in the study of His law. He teaches us how impossible it is for anyone to apply his mind to meditation upon God’s law, who has not first withdrawn and separated himself from the society of the ungodly.”
We cannot be friends of the ungodly society, not if we’re devoted to God and obeying His Word. That’s why it’s important for us to make friends with people who love God and love His Word.
Former Blackout Artist 