1 Samuel 13:3 Now Amnon had an adviser named Jonadab son of Shimeah, David’s brother. Jonadab was a very shrewd man.
“Keeping bad company is like being in a germ-infested area. You never know what you’ll catch.” ― Frank Sonnenberg
Bad companies are not comrades but contaminations to our ethos. The influence of toxic relationships will have the same effect of breathing a coronavirus infested atmosphere. We are sure to catch the virus no matter how healthy or resilient we are. Fever, cough, fatigue, loss of smell, loss of taste and sore throat are some of the common symptoms of COVID-19. Likewise, foul character traits will infect us like fever. It would inflict us with lethargy in our passion and fervor for the Lord. We will lose the taste and appetite for godly vision and mission. So, we find ourselves sluggish in prayer and will be plodding ourselves to accomplish our purpose. If this is true, we must check who is feeding our mind and consuming our time. Giving ear to gossip and allowing garbage to be deposited in our mind will corrupt our thinking and spoil our soul.
Ammon was David’s first born and the legal heir to the throne of Israel. Amnon was a handsome young man who had all the qualifications to become the next King yet, he had a foul friend Jonadab who destroyed his destiny. Ammon was tempted to fall into incest. Ammon fell in love with his half sister Tamar. Amnon became so obsessed with his sister Tamar that he made himself ill (Vs 2). Jonadab who understood the weakness of Amnon plotted a hideous plan, prodded and perverted him to fall into sin. “Bad company corrupts good character” (1 Corinthians 15:33).Amnon abused Tamar (Absalom’s sister) which caused virulent animosity between the brothers. Absalom took vengeance on Amnon and finally killed him. The toxic friendship turned into a lethal association and destroyed the legal heir of David.
Bad Company is destructive:
1. Plot: Jonadab schemed to destroy the King’s family. Jonadab plotted the animosity between the king’s sons and destroyed his own friend as he had a hidden agenda to take the throne. Jonadab son of Shimeah, David’s brother, said, “My lord should not think that they killed all the princes; only Amnon is dead (2 Samuel 13:32). Jonadab, Amnon’s friend and cousin should have been lamenting when he heard about his friend’s brutal death but he was the secret agent promulgating the catastrophe. Selfish relationships are self seeking. Corrupt companies are ruthless and have ulterior motives to destroy us.
2. Prod: Jonadab prodded Amnon to sin by hyping up his ego. He kept nudging that Amnon is the king’s kid and he should have anything and everything he wants. Bad friends will prod us to misuse relationships and mistreat those we should esteem.
3. Pervert: Bad companions insinuate perversion and encourage sin. Purity is distorted by wrong company and destroys the soul and the body. Most times wrong suggestions come from those we allow in our inner circle. Choose your inner circle very carefully.
Bad company corrupts good character.
Proverbs 27:5 Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
Prayer: Father in Heaven, give me the ‘spirit of discernment’ to discern the spirits of those in my inner circle and help me to be in the company of good friends. Amen
Leave a Reply