Psalm 26:4-5 "I do not sit with false men, nor do I consort with dissemblers, I hate the company of evildoers and I will not sit with the wicked."

There are people about whom I feel this way, and I used to feel guilty for avoiding them. These are people who I know are lying to me, or who nonchalantly reference the wicked things they do, as if their behavior is perfectly acceptable. I feel very uncomfortable around these people and I simply do not want to spend time with them. I am often told, though, that this is me being judgmental, and reminded that Jesus dined with tax collectors and sinners. That is where my feeling of guilt comes from. But when I really evaluate it, and use discernment, I know I am not being judgmental, I am being prudent.

Discernment tells me to probe my feelings to determine if the "good spirits" are guiding me, and I believe in these situations they are. Spending time with unrepentant sinners has an effect on one's soul. We begin to become tolerant of sinfulness, and risk becoming drawn into it. ("The sinners are much more fun" as Billy Joel told us! - Evil is always attractive, at least at first, or it would not have many takers!).

This is not the same as saying I want I won't spend time with any sinner - we are all sinners, how could I not? It is the people who sin  without remorse, without acknowledging their own fault, and who won't listen to even the gentlest suggestion that they might be acting wrongly, who make me uncomfortable and whom I therefore avoid. That is not to say I do not love them! When I get this feeling about someone and realize I have to begin avoiding them, I immediately begin praying for them, if I was not already. This preserves a connection in love with that person, while also protecting my soul and my well-being.

These verses reinforce the wisdom of avoiding people one knows to be engaged in unrepentant sinfulness. It is better for our souls to step back from them (even if they are having much more fun!🙂) and pray for them. Our prayers are always efficacious, and if/when they show signs of change, we can happily welcome them back into our lives with open arms!