Devin came from an inner-city community infamous for its high crime activity. He eventually left his hometown and became the first in his family to graduate from college. Devin received his bachelor’s degree in social work and later acquired a master’s degree in the same educational discipline. Devin took a special interest in troubled young men and repeat offenders of the criminal justice system. This was the case because Devin had a story of his own.
Devin was born to a good family. His mother and father brought him up in a Christian household and taught him and his two siblings the ways of Jesus Christ. Some of Devin’s peers often referred to him as “a stick in the mud” in his earlier adolescent years. Devin did not have many friends coming up; he just kind of kept to himself.
The summer going into his final year of high school, Devin became obsessed with becoming a part of the in-crowd at school. He worked out hard and transformed his physique. He changed up his style of clothing and studied the lyrics and mannerisms heard and seen in rap videos. He went into the neighborhood and started hanging out with the older guys at the basketball courts. Though it was new and uncomfortable being around vulgar language and stories at first, he began to like it and participate.
The kid, who was once a kind and soft spoken individual, gradually began acting a lot like the people he was now hanging around. Devin was finally being recognized in his neighborhood as one of the guys. The guys began to refer to Devin as “D-Smooth” because of his natural smoothness on the basketball court. D-Smooth was now infatuated with his new identity/persona he had created for himself.
One night, Devin wanted to go to the movies with some of his neighborhood buddies and received permission to do so from his parents. Devin’s parents trusted him because they were not aware of his exterior transformations into D-Smooth when he was hanging out with the fellas in the neighborhood.
When Devin arrived at the meet spot where he and his friends hang out, his friends were drinking and smoking marijuana. Devin knew that he wanted no part of this. He just enjoyed the respect he had been receiving from hanging out with the in-crowd. Devin avoided drinking and smoking with the fellas by squinting his eyes as though he had already been smoking before he arrived.
Everyone loaded up and jumped into Marcus’ car, which was the oldest of the group. On the way to the theatre, Marcus failed to come to a complete stop before making a right at a stop sign. The vehicle was pulled over by the local police. The officer could smell both the alcohol and marijuana in the vehicle. No one took ownership of the marijuana and all of the passengers were ordered out of the vehicle. Once separated and questioned by assisting officers, Devin was the only one that opened his mouth to say that the marijuana did not belong to him. Because he did not say whose it was, Devin was arrested along with everyone else. He pleaded his innocence to the officer, and the officer responded, “Guess that makes ya guilty by association then!”
Devin sat in the holding area with all of the others. Devin fell to his knees and did what he was raised to do. He poured out his heart and pleaded for GOD’s forgiveness and mercy. “Lord if you get me out of this, I will never forsake you or my parents’ teachings again.” His friends began to mock him and laugh. “What are you doing D? Man get of your knees fool, you’re embarrassing us man.”
Devin responded, “I thought you guys were my friends. Why didn’t you tell the police that it wasn’t my drugs? Marcus replied, with the approval of the others, “Because we all go down together!” In that moment, the arresting officer overheard the conversation while completing the paperwork. Devin was released from the cell and dropped from the arrest records. D-Smooth became Devin again for good!
Brethren, this story can be applied to our Christian lives on many levels and age groups. When we keep the company of the wicked, we place ourselves in the midst of a cesspool (i.e. an unclean place). When we immerse ourselves in such filth, we began to take on properties of the filth we choose to affiliate ourselves with as Christians. By this statement I simply mean that we cannot be anchored in filth without becoming filthy. Thus, we are filthy by our association with said filth. From a Christian perspective, fools dwell in unclean places and rebuke righteousness.
Often we ask ourselves, how did I get in this mess? The answer is simple… We get into the mess because we make conscious decisions to associate ourselves with the mess. Our Bible asks, “Can a man take fire into his bosom and his clothes not be burned (Proverbs 6:27)?” Our Bible also offers a great solution… “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm (Proverbs 13:20).”
Circles of gossip, judgement, drunkenness, adultery, immorality, deceit, and evildoers, are all ingredients that create the mess we often find ourselves in. When we take part in such circles, we become guilty associates of the mess of which we are affiliated! Some of us begin to look and smell of drunkenness; some of us speak slander and sound of gossip; Regardless of what good we desire for our lives, GOD’s goodness does not dwell in unclean places. That being said, if we mingle and partner with the wicked, we become guilty by association; not solely because of our association with the wicked, but because of what we become as a result of our association with the wicked.
Today, I would like to honor this devotional with these verses from our Holy Bible:
5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
7 Therefore do not become partners with them;
8 For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.
9 For the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true (Ephesians 5:5-9).
Witness to those who will hear GOD’s words; however, it is a necessity that we remove ourselves from the cesspool which hinders the bearing of GODLY fruit.
My prayer for you today:
Heavenly Father, we ask blessings today upon those who seek righteousness. We ask that you strengthen our spirits and that you protect us with the full armor of GOD. Wickedness surrounds us from every side and every angle O’ Lord, but because you are our strength and refuge, we have faith that we will defeat the enemy. Loosen the grips of the unclean, and give us rest in your loving arms. To You be the glory forever and always. In the name of Your son Jesus, Amen…
May GOD bless you all!
By: C. D. McCloud
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