Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the Lord
and meditates on his law day and night. (Ps 1:1-2)
Each day we are confronted with choices. We choose to get up and begin our day or lay in bed and be late to work or school or wherever we need to be. We choose to be kind to others or to be gruff. We choose to speed down the roads or to follow the speed limits.
We choose between right and wrong, good and bad.
Sometimes we choose on our own. Other times, we make choices at the suggestion of others.
It is generally well known that, if we hang out with the wrong crowd, we will make the wrong decisions.
What is not as generally believed, though, is that our decisions have dire ramifications. If we follow the counsel of the wicked and walk in the way of sinners and sit in the company of the insolent, our choices are more than likely going to be wrong choices. They will be bad choices. They may even be evil choices.
We tell our children all the time to watch who they hang out with. Sadly, we often do not employ the advice that we give to our youth. We, instead, often associate with people who are bad for us. If we allow them to influence us, we can find that we have gone far astray.
If we go far enough astray, we risk disassociating ourselves from the Lord. We will no longer care about His commands or His requests. We will no longer care about His people — in whom He dwells. We will no longer care about ourselves.
Our radical fall begins with one choice, one bad decision. From there, it becomes easier to make more bad decisions, to choose more evil.
Our return to the Lord begins with one choice, one good decision.
Each day we are confronted with choices.
What will your choice be today?
FAITH ACTION: Ask God to give you the grace, wisdom, and courage to make the correct decisions today.