Ezra 9:2

For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass.

A nice green and pure putting surface can be virtually ruined by the infiltration of crab grass. A older club pro friend tells stories growing up as a caddie at a country club as a kid. He and his friends would use some sort of metal device and pluck up the crab grass with roots before it had time to further damage the “good grass.”

It greatly troubled Ezra when he learned that God’s people had commingled and intermarried with exactly the people God had forbidden. Deuteronomy 7:3. They not only made political allies with these people, but also created business and emotional relationships with them.

It is important for us to consider closely who we allow in our lives. Not everyone is good for our emotional well-being and can even be hindrances in our spiritual lives. Many times we leave God out who we “hang with” or “run around with.” However, God knows exactly who is good for our growth and who is not. He actually told us through the word in 1 Corinthians 15:33. The apostle relayed, “be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manner.” The negative characteristics of a friend are detrimental to our Godly spirit. If allowed to get too close, the practices of the sinner will tarnish our spiritual wants and desires.

Lost friends are not only bad influences, but give poor counsel or advice. In Proverbs 28:23, we learn, “he that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue.” A friend who tells us what we need to hear is more beneficial than one who only advises in the fashion and direction we desire.

God knows who we need in our lives. We are not to be snobbish and totally isolate ourselves from any and all interaction with the lost. We are to witness and attempt to live a spirit-filled life in front of the lost. However, this does not mean we are to marry and make the lost our closest friends or advisors. Allow God to direct those who we allow within our inner circle. God isn’t shy about the types of people who are bad for us. He explicitly told the saved person to marry only another saved person. We all have heard the excuse, “oh, but I love him and if we get married, he will come to church with me.” More often than not, the opposite occurs and the wife ends up being at the lake with the new husband on Sunday mornings.

God knows the people who are beneficial to our spiritual growth and those with whom a relationship will be toxic. Like the saying goes, “it’s hard to lie with dogs and not get flees.” A Bermuda green that looks flawless and flourishing one day can be destroyed by a strain of crab grass or an infiltration of mold if left unattended or monitored.