Bad associations spoil useful habits. - 1 Cor. 15:33Why are we told to wear gloves and masks during the COVID-19 pandemic? Why did Souplantation (a buffet-style restaurant that specialized in salads and soups) close up?
What happens when you touch a dirty surface? It gets on you. It's on your fingers. You touch your mouth, or your eyes, and the disease rages on.
Bad associations have the same effect. Have you noticed that if you hang out with a person, who curses every other word, to find yourself cursing more often? Bad association.
What about t.v., movies, books? Yes. I remember being young and I really enjoyed the show, Dukes of Hazzard. My brother and I found it funny, so we would talk about it the next day. But, my parents, after a while, restricted us from watching the show. Why? My bother and I were emulating the show's slapstick. We even quoted the show's favorite euphemism, "dipstick". I had this crush on Catherine Bach and her "daisy duke" shorts.My folks realized that the show was having a bad influence on us, so they cut off the association.
But, that's not association, you say. Well, think about it. You're sitting there on the sofa, taking in a program. You're allowing those people to come figuratively into your living room and perform before you. You then start to bond with those people, you imagine them as your friends or you hear their problems and see how they solve it, and agree with it. If it's the wrong kind of show, it affects how you act and think.
The useful habits of regular Bible reading, spiritual reflection and wholesome communication with your family go out the window. Who talks to each other during a show? You don't want to miss anything, so the "Shhh!" comes out, whether at home or the theater.
Can the attitudes of characters influence you? Yes, if you're not careful. Can fiction and reality be blurred? Yes, if you're not careful. So, we have to be careful with what we see, hear and read.
I, myself, have cut back entirely on social media. I don't do Facebook, Twitter, Instagram any more. Why? Sometimes images are posted that will get me thinking about the wrong thing. Recently, I had to stopp looking at Yahoo News, because they kept ;showing headlined about some 50+ old actress that happily displays her bikini body. I don't want to think about that, so I shut it off. I use my phone to read my email as it goes directly to the Inbox.
The world is full of bad associations, so it's a challenge to find the right ones. But, they are out there, and it's worth the effort to find them, get to know them, and keep in touch with them. They will help you stay on the right path, and you can be a good influence to them too.
Recently, I started playing online golf. I can see a little bit, so I enjoy that game. It helps me to think in mathematical terms and play. I have joined other people to play a round or two, but I ignore the chat. One man I played with was terrible, making crass jokes and using language when he had a bad shot, so I just focused on playing the game, keeping in mind his avatar name, so that I could avoid him in the future.
I have one friend on there. He's a fellow Jehovah's Witness. Do I need one hundred plus friends? Nope, I'm actually in favor of playing alone. But, good association is always good association, when it helps you mainntain the useful habits.
Stay safe!
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