When we hear bad company, most of us picture people like friends, coworkers, or certain relationships that pull us in the wrong direction. And yes, that can be what Paul meant in 1 Corinthians 15. But I'll add that the bad-company warning should go deeper than who you sit next to. It reaches into what you let speak to you.
In that sense, bad company isn’t just people you know. It’s the voices, narratives, and assumptions you allow to influence your thinking. It’s the constant drip of cynicism that says hope is naïve. It’s the outrage cycle that trains us to see enemies before neighbors. And it’s the quiet lie that says God may be loving, but not really trustworthy, or God is present, but not so much powerful.
Consider this. We don’t become what we believe overnight. We become what we listen to repeatedly.
Paul writes this to a church wrestling with false ideas about resurrection and hope. The danger wasn’t only immoral behavior; it was distorted thinking. When the story you believe about the future is broken, the way you live cracks, too.
That’s why Scripture calls us to be careful, not just about our actions, but about our attention. What you give your mind to will eventually shape your heart. And what shapes your heart will shape your life.
Following Jesus means curating your influences with intention. It means asking hard questions: What am I consuming daily? What voices do I trust without challenge? What thoughts do I replay when no one else is around?
So today, pay attention to your company. Not just those you see, but even the celebrity, cultural, or digital kinds too. Because what keeps you company will eventually help decide who you become.
Stay blessed...john | 
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