Negative Influences

Human beings use different language with different people. Some folks do it more than others. People may talk to parents one way but then use totally different language, words and phrases with a co-worker they barely know. It makes sense. We have all experienced it. We can say these are 'masks' and sometimes they are but it seems to go deeper than that. Children of divorce see it in parents that remarry people who have very different personalities than their original mate. Sometimes there are radical changes and that can be attributed partially to happiness levels. They were sad and frustrated in the first marriage but now they are happier so things have changed. Mood seems to be part of it but the bottom line is that for most people personality is plastic and it changes depending on who we spend time with. People 'bring out' aspects of who we 'are' or who we want to be.

"When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, 'I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.' Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying: 'As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you...' " - Genesis 17:1-6 NKJV

God wasn't saying, 'Walk before me and be on your best behavior'. He was saying, 'I am giving you a new name because when you are with me you are blameless. In the KJV the word is translated 'perfect'.

When we walk with God it doesn't 'bring out the best in us'. No. If that is what is happening we are missing something vital. We have a new identity of perfection that He puts in us and it only comes out when we are with Him.

I think I have heard the phrase, 'I am going to remove all the negative influences from my life.' about 10 times just this week and I just can't get onboard with it. People get annoyed with me because I don't express overwhelming support but it just makes me sad and a little sick inside when I hear people try to go for a 'godless' solution that only sounds good on paper. Somehow people think that if they get rid of everything bad then only the good is what will remain and be strengthened but that is just not how life works.

Some people and situations are toxic and I am all for dealing with that if it is possible but that is an extreme surgical procedure and it is not the answer to most of life's problems. Surgery often means irreplaceable loss. People throw others away because they don't like who they are when they are with them.

The answer is to walk before God and 'be perfect'. That will mean saying 'no' to things but we are saying 'no' to the old because we have something new not because we are trying to purge the old to make something happen.

"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?" - James 4:7-12 ESV

Negative influences will flee from you and if they don't you will have the power of a person who is exalted by God. If you say, 'All you people are sucking the life out of me and I deserve better.' you are one step closer to becoming a person who sucks the life out of others.

They are not the problem. They will be replaced by other imperfect people who will disappoint you in some other way. It is just a matter of time. If we walk with God He will bring people into our life we won't have to look. He will do it.

"But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." - John 1:12-13 KJV

I tried to use a more modern translation but they all take the word 'power' and translate it 'the right' and that just loses something. We have the 'power that authority gives us' to operate as children of God.

If we are stubborn and rigid people being around God brings out our new nature. If we are weak and wishy-washy we have a new life in God and His presence give us backbone.

God thinks you are perfect. Really. He thinks that because when you are with Him you are perfect. He gives that perfection as a gift to those who believe in His Son. If you are not 'with Him' you can't know who you really are but if you do walk with Him it won't matter what other people do or don't do... a kingdom will be walking with You.

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