Length: 10 minutes

If you have been a Christian for any length of time, you will know how the Bible heavily emphasizes the need to meditate on God’s word day and night. But did you know that God puts the people you hang out with on equal footing with meditating on His word? In fact, He sees them as the same endeavor.

Psalms 1:1-2 (NKJV) Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.

God sees keeping company with the right people as important as meditating on His word. Notice that this particular “blessedness” that He speaks of in this chapter is only applicable to those who meditate on His word day and night. But He also provides one more condition. He says that this blessedness is only for those who don’t stand in the way of the unbeliever or sit with those who scorn the truth. This is talking about not hanging out with people who reject the gospel. 

Now why is this? God is conditioning His blessing on the people we hang out with. Is it because God’s blessings are conditioned on our works? Is it because we must do the right thing to be blessed? Not at all. The blessing of God is conditioned solely on our faith in Jesus (Roman’s 5:2). Nothing else! It just so happens that the people we hang out with have a direct influence on our faith! You may not have realized it, but the people you hang out with can influence your mind. And because of that, the people you hang out with have an indirect influence on your receiving from God! 

It’s not about the company we keep itself, but what they’re speaking into our minds. When we keep company with those that reject the gospel, we’re not protecting our minds, and that’s going to hinder the blessing of God in our life. Not because of the work itself, but because of the influence people can have in our minds. 

Proverbs 13:20 (NKJV) He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed.

1 Corinthians 15:33 (NKJV) Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”

There’s a direct correlation between those that we hang out with and what we think. Those who want to be wise, don’t hang out with those who are rejecting that wisdom, because people can influence our minds, even in ways that we don’t realize. And it’s for this reason, Psalms 1 says that the blessing of God, and our prosperity, is conditioned on who we keep company with. 

People Who Don’t Believe Yet Vs. People Who Won’t Hear

Now, I’m not talking about not hanging out with people who disagree with the gospel but are willing to hear what you have to say. If we avoided people like this, no one would get saved. Anyone who is willing to hear the gospel that I have to share, is a friend of mine, saved or unsaved. The problem is when someone disagrees with the gospel and is not willing or open to hear what you have to say.

We should certainly give people time and opportunity to hear us out, but there does come a time when the Lord will show you that this person is not currently willing to hear your gospel. That person is someone who has sinned against the gospel in unbelief, and they have scorned the truth. This is the type of person that Psalms 1 is referring to. That chapter says that we should not entertain people that scorn the gospel and don’t want to hear what you have to say.

Caution

You see, any time you hang out with people that don’t know the truth to the extent that you do (saved or unsaved), you need to be very careful. It can be a very good thing for them, but you need to be careful that you are influencing them toward the truth and that they are not influencing you toward their unbelief. This cannot be overstated. Hanging out with people that don’t understand the same truth that you do can influence you if you are not vigilant to keep your eyes on Jesus.

Now, if you hang out with someone who doesn’t know the truth, but is willing to hear you, that is an endeavor that we can cautiously undertake. If they are willing to hear your gospel, then love them and show them the truth, but with caution, so that you are not influenced by their mentality.

Galatians 6:1 (NKJV) Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.

On the other hand, when it comes to someone who mocks the things that you say, only wants to argue your points, or even politely avoids hearing you, after giving them opportunity, there comes a point when nothing is left for you to do for them. This is not the type of person to commit your time to. Granted, we need to have wisdom to judge when this is true of a person. Some people are hard nuts to crack at first, but don’t fool yourself. If they are not willing to hear you, then you move on to someone who will. 

What we’re talking about even has application to fellow believers many times. Probably more often than I’d like to admit. Of course, every believer agrees with the knowledge of Jesus to some extent (otherwise they wouldn’t be saved), but even believers can refuse large swaths of truth. So what we’re talking about even has application to believers who, to large extent, won’t receive the truth that the Lord has shown you. 

If they are not willing to hear you, then you move on to someone who will. This is the advice Jesus gave His disciples when He sent them out to preach.

Matthew 10:14 (NKJV) And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet.

Verse 23) When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. 

You see, when someone disagrees with you, but is willing to hear you, even that should be taken with caution, so that you are not influenced by their mentality. But for someone that is not willing to hear you for now, there is no chance that you will get through to them. There’s only the risk for you to be influenced by them. And that risk is not worth it, because they are not willing to entertain your words.

Seed On The Wayside

I’m not saying that this is everybody and I’m not saying that just because someone isn’t willing to hear you now, doesn’t mean they won’t be willing to hear you in the future. At the same time, not everybody accepts the truth. For those who are not now willing to accept the truth, you will not get through to them. You are throwing seed on a footpath, to the wayside (Mark 4:4). They neither understand what you are saying, nor will they, because they are not open to receive the seed.

If there is a person who disagrees with you, but is willing to hear you. Speak to that person. If there is a person that disagrees with you, and despite opportunity, is not willing to hear you, trust the Lord to give you judgment to recognize this type of person. This is the kind of person that God does not advise you keep company with. 

Romans 16:17 (NKJV) Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.

It might seem strange that we are to love our neighbor and yet avoid certain people. Those are not contradictory statements. If there was anything you could do to help someone, God wouldn’t advocate you avoid them. But people who scorn the gospel cannot be helped. The only way that God empowers people to salvation is through His gospel (Romans 1:16). Without them hearing, God can’t help them. And if God can’t, who are you? All that’s left is potential risk for you to be influenced by them. 

Some may think, “But people are going to hell! How could you ever avoid the company of someone? Every life counts!” It’s absolutely true that every life counts, but let me tell you what will happen if you persist in hanging out with people who aren’t open to the gospel. In your endeavor to save this person or make them see, your mind will be influenced by them (as Proverbs 13:20 says). And you will, in turn, make yourself a less effective minister to all the other people in the world who are actually willing to hear you, thus causing more people to go to hell, because you spent all your time on someone who wouldn’t hear, sacrificing your own clarity of mind, and wasting the word you know on the wayside, that Mark 4:4 speaks of. That is what will happen. 

Trust Jesus. Take his advice. If they aren’t interested in the gospel you know, hang out with someone else. You’ll preserve your own mind, and make yourself a more effective minister for those other valuable souls that actually want to hear. 

Choking The Word

It’s so important who we hang out with. That’s why Psalms 1 says that the man who delights in the law of God will simultaneously not sit amongst those who scoff at it. Only then will they receive the blessing of God. Only then will they be like a tree planted by rivers of water, prospering in whatever they do. God didn’t say to just meditate on His word. He said, meditate on His word and don’t sit with those who reject it. 

You see, even if you believe that you are receiving the word of God but persist in hanging out with people that scoff at it, you’re opening yourself up to their deception and are jeopardizing even the word that you are receiving. It’s like receiving the seed and then choking it out right after. You may be receiving seed, but because of all the other input you’re receiving as well, this is going to keep you from the benefits and the fruitfulness that the word can produce.

God told Abram that he had to leave the company of his idol worshiping family and then He would be able to bless him and make his name great. Why do you think God told him to leave the company of his family? Well, because God’s blessing is conditioned on faith, and it seems evident that God knew Abram’s faith would not be able to flourish amongst his idol worshipping family. Therefore, God told Abram to leave the company of his kindred first, and then He would bless him. If Abram had not left the company of his family, being influenced, or slowed by their beliefs, I do not think we would know Abram as the example of faith he is today (Joshua 24:2, Genesis 12:2).

God loves everybody, but people must be willing to receive “His seed” (His word) for it to make a difference. There are too many people who want to hear your truth for you to spend your time with people who will only pull you in their direction, not willing to walk toward yours.

So, keep constant company with those who believe like you do so that you are encouraged in your faith. Speak to people who disagree with you but are willing to hear you. And avoid sitting amongst those who don’t welcome the gospel that you preach. You will find that your faith will be immensely benefited, as well as those who are willing to hear you.

If this blessed you, share this with someone else!