17th February 2024

Keeping the right company

A lot has been said about the company we keep, most of it warnings about the bad kind. A quotation often attributed to George Washington says, ‘It is better to be alone than to be in bad company.’ It’s probably from 110 Rules of Civility & Decent Behaviour in Company and Conversation, from which he copied it. It is true that people with bad behaviour can pull us down to a lower level.

Paul also mentioned this in 1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV). His comment that ‘Bad company corrupts good character’ comes in the middle of a conversation about the resurrection. He goes on to admonish his listeners to come back to their senses and stop sinning, and by inference, to keep better company.

The best company we can keep is to follow Jesus around and hang out with him. Listen to the advice of Jesus himself in Matthew 11:28-30 in The Message: ‘Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.’

I’m keeping company with Jesus this year by reading A Blended Harmony of the Gospels, published by The Chosen. I read it twice last year, and as It’s divided up into 40-day readings, I plan to read it nine times this year, which is almost every day in 2024. 

Keeping good company with Jesus seems like the best way to learn his unforced rhythms of grace.

Study by Tammy Tkach

First published on 24 January 2024, at www.gemsofgodsgrace.wordpress.com

About the writer:
Tammy Tkach is the Assistant Pastor of the Eugene, Oregon, USA, Grace Communion International congregation. She is a speaker and writer, and publishes a blog at www.gemsofgodsgrace.wordpress.com  

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