July 21, 2007
Jesus’ Bad Friends
Campus Life - June/July, 2007
Why the wrong crowd is sometimes the right crowd.
by Mark Galli
Excerpt of article:
“Later, Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house. Many tax collectors and ’sinners’ were eating with him and his disciples. They were part of the large crowd following Jesus.” —Mark 2:15 (NIRV)
When the HBO series The Sopranos first started getting popular, I began tuning in. I love movies and TV shows about the mafia so I thought The Sopranos was fascinating. A bit too fascinating, it turned out. I found myself thinking about stuff like sex and power in unhealthy ways long after each episode ended. I decided to stop watching the show, not because it was evil, but because of what I saw it doing to me.
Stupid is as stupid does when it comes to the things we watch. What you see and hear influences what you think, say and do. The same applies to the people we hang around with. You hang around with a group that smokes dope or plays around sexually, sooner or later, you’re probably going to start acting like that. It’s just human nature to adopt the values of the group we’re with.
So we Christians are smart to not hang around with the “wrong crowd,” right?
Except that our Lord did this all the time. Read rest of article.
Pastor E says:
So Suzi I hear you’re coming out to see us soon…can’t wait to see you again!! You’re getting so famous - before long it will be ‘Mrs. Eller’!
Debbie says:
Thank you for sharing this article. I wish somebody had reached out to me during a certain time in my life.
But since I can’t change the past, I’ve decided to change the future–I’ll reach out to others despite what the so-called “religious” crowd thinks. I’m not crazy though, I’m not doing it through my strength–but His.
Debbie