Bad Influences

What shall I do if some of my non-Christian friends have a bad influence on me?

God’s Response

When you crossed the Jordan River and came to Jericho, the men of Jericho fought against you, as did the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. But I gave you victory over them. . . . Choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD. Joshua 24:11, 15

If you find that you do things you know are wrong when you are with your non-Christian friends, then you must decide whether your first loyalty lies with your friends or with God. The choice is yours. By asking the question, you already know that your friends’ influence is bad and will lead you away from God. Joshua understood that. Choosing God may mean deciding not to hang out with those friends, sharing this struggle with a Christian friend, or confronting a non-Christian friend with your concerns. Whatever you decide, stay true to God and do not turn away from him.

This Is Promising

Choose life, so that you and your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the LORD your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life. Deuteronomy 30:19-20