Walking in the Counsel of the Wicked?

Walk, Stand or Sit

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
Psalm 1:1-2

Have you ever known someone who "walks in the counsel of the wicked"? As a young woman in my twenties, I had a friend whose Mother was a self-pronounced psychic. My friend's Mother read Tarot cards and told me my future. If I had believed her and begun living as if what she said was true, that would have been an obvious example of "walking in the counsel of the wicked". And, to be sure people like that can lead you astray and open the door for demonic activity in your life. Anything to do with the occult would obviously be wicked but....are those the only wicked people we do not need to listen to?

What about television shows that promote living together outside of marriage, or homosexual relationships, or treating your neighbors with disrespect, or engaging in adultery....or even gossip....the list goes on and on. When we watch programming like that, are we not allowing those thoughts in our minds and then we become more and more accepting of that kind of behavior? Does it affect the way we then treat others? Does that influence equate to the "counsel of the wicked"? I believe it does and I believe that it dishonors God. I think each individual needs to seek God's face on what you allow yourself and your family to put into their minds from the influence of not only TV, but also the music you listen to and the movies you watch. Do we depend on worldly views to establish our limits, like a PG-13 movie? In recent days, my son and I walked out of a PG-13 movie in the first 10-15 minutes the movie that is portrayed as comical and fine for kids, was overtly sexual and used God's name in vain.

How much is too much compromise with the world? How does the worldly counsel affect you and your family? When I think back to TV shows I saw as a kid and movies, it is amazing to me how the limits and criteria have changed to include things that would have shocked us 20 years ago. That's how much the counsel of wicked has affected us; there were no overtly sexual public displays of affection from couples, much less public displays of affection from homosexuals; abortion was not a debate, it was a disgrace.

We shouldn't focus only on the obvious; gossip can be and is one of the most harmful ways the counsel of the wicked makes its rounds. We must learn to NOT speak about others lives and stand in judgment of things we don't completely understand. Don't misunderstand, as brothers and sisters in Christ, we are to hold one another accountable for living lives that do not honor God but we need to be sure of our information. Matthew 18 tells us we are to go to our fellow Christian in love when we have an issue with them and then gives specific instruction to handle the complaint after that meeting takes place. However, we are not supposed to talk with others about it. I have to admit this one is hitting home with me even as I type. I have been guilty of this very thing recently and need to make things right.

I am continually amazed, in working with teenagers, at how many families that proclaim Christianity but listen to music that talks about all things NOT Christian or love TV shows that are overtly sexual in nature, or have no problems with allowing their young teenagers to watch R rated movies. Maybe you need to deal with God on these issues too? I've certainly had to. I have to constantly remind myself to not "walk in the counsel of the wicked".

My desire is to walk my talk... To honor and glorify God in all things... I fail miserably but His grace is AMAZING..... Let's choose to walk in the counsel of Holy God!