1 Corinthians 15: 33 NKJV
There was a film in the 1970's titled Kellys Heros, one of my all time favorites. One of the main characters of this world war two flick was a hippie like tank comander whgo went by the well desereved name of Oddball. Donald Sutherland played this role to a T, making Oddball one of the movies most memorable characters. It seems that oddball was indeed thirty some years ahead of his time. However, taking into account the timeframe in which the film was produced, I gave it a few liberties. One of oddballs most famous lines would come whenever someone would give a dire prediction of their current situation. Almost imediately, oddball would cry out, "Would you stop with the negative waves!" Obviously, a hippie on a world war two battlefield was as out of place as a polar bear in the desert, but it produced enough comedy to keep the movie flowing. I have to say that I have learned something from oddball for my own life. That being, I've come to despise negative waves and try my best to avoid those people who produce them. As the apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15, it is bad company that corrupts good habits. I tend to agree. Many is the occassion where my mood has been brought low simply by the words of another persons negative waves. This seems almost unfair. Therefore, some time ago I made a commitment to avoid at all costs those that would seek to bring about depressing moods or attitudes. I simply don't have the time to carry someone elses baggage. It seems that I have enough of my own to worry about. Granted, I've had more than a few people express their displeasure at this approach. For the most part, I've managed to decrease the negative waves that once found their way into my life.
16Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
2 Corinthians 5: 16 - 19 NKJV
One of the things which helped me in my quest to disregard those with negative waves were the words of Paul in 2 Corinthians 2. Here, Paul informs us that we are to no longer regard anyone in regards to the flesh. So, that very person who was bombarding my space with a negative attitude was doing so not because of his fleshly desires, but something deeper than that. For our flesh is but a small part of our being, with our true identity residing in that spirit which dwells within us. This is our identity. It is the image of the invisible God in which we were created, and it is His spirit that we live as today {Galations 2:20}. So, how are we to see that person who brings negative waves into our lives? Does bad company indeed corrupt good habits? I would absolutely agree with this scripture that bad company does corrupt good habits, with a catch. I believe that bad company will corrupt good habits...if we allow it to. See, there is this trait which we all share called freedom of choice. Should we CHOOSE to allow mister negative waves to invade our personal space and bring us down with his negative mood, then bad company indeed corrupts good habits. However, if we follow Pauls advice and no longer regard others according to the flesh then we are left with only one solution. That being the roaring lion which walks about seeking whom he may devour. That lion being satan our adversary. I have no doubt whatsoever that just as the Spirit of Christ Jesus lives through those who follow Him, that the spirit of the power of the air (satan) also lives through those who have not known Jesus. It is the work of the deceiver which brings about the negative waves of others. We should not regard them according to the flesh, but according to which spirit dwells within them. Pretty heavy stuff...even for oddball.
~Scott~
No comments:
Post a Comment