“Bad company corrupts good character” (1st Corinthians 15:33)
St. Paul utilizes this ancient proverb by the Greek Poet Menander as a means of conveying an important message: associations with bad, evil, or corrupt persons do not lead one towards holiness. On the contrary, forming and maintaining relationships with such people generally “mislead” us away from God and towards our ruin.
When we associate with or take delight in the company of people with worldly beliefs and morals, we run the risk of mimicking their behaviors, their language, and their habits. Before long we are no longer of Christ, but of the world with its denial of absolute authority, its rejection of the Bible as the Word of God, and its ideology of relative morality. This is especially true with regards to youths who are often easily influenced by their peers.
Young people are especially vulnerable since they are so desperate for the approval of others and so motivated by the need for acceptance that godly wisdom in decision-making often goes out the window in the face of peer pressure. Therefore, it is crucial for parents of teens to be on guard against the influence of bad company.
Perhaps that is why the revered Protopresbytor Jason Kapadnaze would end confessions with the sage-like phrase, “Trust in God and keep good company.”
Fr. John
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