I John 3:7-8

"Dear children (that's us!--children of God! :) yay!), do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning form the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work."

When I read this, I was recalling Rom. 8:38, which reminds me that God will NOT let anything separate me from his love. He defeated Satan already, and he lives that I will live forever, too. But here is a warning to not let others lead me astray. The "others" mentioned here are people who lead a life characterized by sin. People who continue to persist in sin. This is a little confusing to me at first, because I know these are the people who God wants me to love, pray for, and possibly reach out to and be "in" their lives" to share his love. But paired with the knowledge that God is with me and will protect against anything that would separate me from him, I have confidence that he will arm me with the armor of God in every situation. This reminded me, too, of some of the proverbs that warn about bad company corrupting good character:

"A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray." 12:26

and

"He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm." 13:20

I think there comes a point where it is hard to be "friends" with people who are not led by the Spirit, but are, instead, living in sin. We love them and want to spend time with them, but we can't be a staple part of their intimate lives if they are doing things we don't agree with, because they will feel uncomfortable being their true selves around us. There is a difference between being in the world and of the world, and that starts to extend into our friendships, too. Not that we shouldn't show these people we care deeply for them, reach out to them where they're at and accept them as they are, but if we simply act as they do around them, in ways that we believe are not god-pleasing, then we are only condoning sin and, inevitably, allowing it to lead us astray.

I am convicted that I want to be the wise friend that 13:20 talks about. Even Job's seemingly well-meaning friends led him astray. I pray to be a friend who seeks to live and speak the truth in love. We need to always place advice--even from well-meaning Christians, close friends and family, against the light of God's law and love. I'm thankful for all you gals who reflect God's love and encourage me in godly ways!