June 10

“Like corrupt executives, Israel’s King Ahab was a rich and powerful person who got in trouble because he surrounded himself with advisers who told him the lies he wanted to hear rather than the truth he needed to know.  His friends led him to a tragic dead end.”  Our Daily Bread, Julie Link, 6/10

“Friends” can do that--lead us astray.  Sometimes in our need to feel accepted and to belong we will hang out with people who aren’t good for us.  Teenagers are notorious for doing this.  But adults can be just as guilty.  Our friends may not lead us into drugs, alcohol, or any number of other vices, but they can lead us away from God.  We may find ourselves joining in some juicy gossip, complaining about our husbands or children after we’ve listened to their complaints, overspending because we’re envious of the things they’ve bought when they really couldn’t afford it either....the list goes on and on.  But there is an even more subtle danger that we must be careful about with the friends we allow into our lives:  not trusting God.  If those whom we count as a friend do not love the Lord and seek to follow Him we are in danger of becoming complacent ourselves.  We may begin to relax our standards or in fear of losing our friend we may not hold them accountable for their sins.  In the end, we’d be better off not having an earthly friend if having a friend interferes with our relationship with our heavenly friend.

“Put no trust in a neighbor, have no confidence in a friend;...But as for me, I will look to the LORD, I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.”  Micah 7:5a, 7