MONDAY, October 17

1 Corinthians 15:30-41. Bad company ruins good morals.

One Halloween when I was a teenager, my buddies and I went out soaping car windows. We got caught. When my parents asked me why I did what I did, I tried to blame it on my friends. My parents would have none of it. “I taught you better,” my mother said. And she had. It was not their fault. It was mine, try as I might to deny my guilt.

My mother always said that as parents all we can do is raise our children as best we can. We teach them right from wrong, good from bad, but once they go out the door, we can no longer control them or protect them from harm and bad influences, as my Halloween actions attested. As Paul says, bad company ruins good morals.

We need to take Paul’s—and our mothers’—warnings to heart. We deceive ourselves if we believe we are immune to the influence of bad company. This is one of the great gifts of Christian community. At its best, it provides us with “good company” and the good morals that follow. At minimum, it is a group of people who strive to follow Jesus, holding one another accountable and serving others. Unlike my high school buddies, they bring out the best in us.

PRAY for the Diocese of Temotu (Melanesia)

Ps 25 * 9, 15: Jeremiah 44:1-14; Matthew 11:16-24

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It Only Takes A Spark!

Oct 17, 2011 at 5:35 am

Written by emeline,

To be in the company of positive people influences positive behaviour at best. Positive people will encourage us to engage in positive things. At times we may falter, but when we remember the lessons learned at our mothers' knees, we would "straighten up and fly right" as the old folks would say. Let us remain focussed on the good, and throw the negatives "out the window." Let God be praised for the good we do!

Hope

Oct 17, 2011 at 6:26 am

Written by Craig,

Just wish the current resident at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave had heeded this advice from his mother.

-9

...

Oct 17, 2011 at 8:06 am

Written by Andrea,

I guess I missed the part of the gospels where Jesus hangs out exclusively with the "good" people - you know, the Pharisees and others who focus on doing things just right. I was under the apparently mistaken impression that he spent time with tax collectors and sinners.

@ Craig

Oct 17, 2011 at 8:39 am

Written by Tony,

Craig--I am not sure what your comment about the President means. Your implication seems to be that the President is a "bad" person or, perhaps, immoral. Your posting reveals more about you than anyone else, and it certainly doesn't belong on a web site of this nature.

Thanks

Oct 17, 2011 at 8:57 am

Written by Char,

Tony, Thanks for your comment! "One nation under God" and I truely believe that's what President Ombama wants.

Standards

Oct 17, 2011 at 9:02 am

Written by Norm,

Unfortunately, some Christian communities do not even measure up to the minimum standard that the author of today's meditation suggests. This can occur when maintaining a building (keeping the doors open) trumps "striv(ing)to follow Jesus" and the "holding of one another accountable" is ignored.

There is no such thing as a perfect church either as a demonination or as a parish because they are populated by imperfect people; but the "minimum" that the author suggests is necessary.

...

Oct 17, 2011 at 9:35 am

Written by nora,

THANK YOU TONY

...

Oct 17, 2011 at 10:37 am

Written by Barbara Summers,

Thank you, Tony; I'm so sick of Obama-bashing.

If only all churches lived up to the standard the writer mentions.

...

Oct 17, 2011 at 11:57 am

Written by E. Linda Cushner,

We all have a need to belong and so many times, I myself have followed the crowd even though I knew it was wrong.
However, if we truly trust and love God, He will give us the words and actions to stand up to the crowd and say, "No."
And of course we will at times falter because this is a hard thing to do. He will forgive us but He expects more of us. So let us not judge others and ask our Lord to show us the way to become more like Him and to have the courage to spread His love with all whom we come into contact with.
Also let us pray for wisdom, discernment, understanding and compassion for our government and especially, our president.

our Christian duty to our political leaders

Oct 17, 2011 at 12:57 pm

Written by Mike Kurtz,

As Christians, I believe we ought to pray daily for our President and VP, whomever he or she may be--for their safety, and as Linda has stated, for "wisdom, understanding and compassion." We should also pray that rancorous political outbursts cease and that we once again become one nation, under God, and work harmoniously together for liberty and justice for all. When, on Lord....when???

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