Unprofitable Yokes

Scripture:   II Corinthians 6:14 (NIV) - “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers.  For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common?  Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?  

We commonly associate the significance of the above verse with dating and marital relationships between Christians and unbelievers.  One spouse is in Christ; the other is in Adam, while the former has oftentimes held out hope of “changing him/ her.”  More often than not, such a change of the lost loved one does not occur.  Our heavenly Father desires to spare His children such unnecessary prolonged heartache.  (Proverbs 1:30)

I’ve observed similar disappointments, disillusionment, and even bitterness revealed by folks who’ve formed what they unwittingly thought were friendships with people whom they should have regarded with extreme caution at the outset of their introduction, because that person (or those people) were “suspect” on the character meter, ofttimes harboring, at best, a nefarious or purely self-aggrandizing agenda! (Talk about 20/20 hindsight)!   I’m not saying that Christians should have no non-Christian friends, for certainly we would have to leave this world entirely to completely avoid all such interaction.  (1 Cor. 5:10)  Far too often, however, as with mismatched men and women in romantic associations,  forming  too--close a liaison with those showing themselves to be unequivocal  darnel weeds most often results in the wheat’s  increasing compromise of God’s standard of conduct, as spelled out in His word. (Matt. 13:24-42)

We’re to ask our Lord for wisdom and discernment, according to Proverbs 2:3-7.  He stores up sound wisdom for the upright (v. 7), for whom He also declares that He is their shield!  As Christ-followers, we’re admonished to first guard both our own ways and our heart.  It follows that if we’re as serious in seeking out discernment as our Lord is in giving it, then we will find ourselves possessing a greater measure of divine wisdom and avoiding many unwholesome, disappointing, and unedifying associations.  Now who, beloved, would scoff at receiving such a gift?!?

Prayer:   Heavenly Father, grant that we would never be so desirous of human companionship that we dismiss Your divine commandment to employ both wisdom and discernment before  forming what may APPEAR  to be close friendships.  In Jesus’ name; Amen!

(By Denise Diggs)