Romans 16: Don't Get Dragged Down.

^"17I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them."

I've noticed that I can be very easily effected by those around me. Now, I don't consider myself one to "go with the crowd" or swayed easily by people... but I can be easily swayed when the push is subtle. It's as simple as a co-worker complaining bitterly about their job... soon I'll find myself hating mine. Or perhaps I'll get caught in the middle of a fight between two friends... one minute I'm siding with one friend as I hear her side of the story... and the next I'm swayed in the other direction as I listen to the words of the other friend.

While it's important to be patient with those around us, and to be kind, loving friends to them, we need to be very careful not to get caught up in the negativity or sinful attitudes of those around us. If someone won't respect our beliefs and is argumentative and/or bitter towards God and the church... it's honestly best if we just stay away from them. The subtle emotion of bitterness is so contagious that we need to actively protect ourselves against it. 

I know this is very hard for me to do. It's hard for me to avoid my friends and co-workers. I feel like it's rude of me to just outright "keep away" from them. However, the truth of the matter is, people who stir up trouble and seek to cause fighting within our spirits and within our churches are not healthy people to be around. We should be united in our beliefs. When some tries to manipulate us into believing something contrary to what the Bible teaches, we need to take steps to avoid their manipulations. 

We need to keep the foundation of of our beliefs intact. When someone causes divisions in a church, the foundation cracks... and is soon in danger of crumbling.