Judas Effect
Either we influence the world around us, or we are influenced by it.
Do not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals." - 1 Corinthians 15:33
In today's reading, Paul makes a simple statement about influence, and it reminds me of what we used to hear when someone good did something bad.
He hung out with the wrong crowd, they would say.
It sounds like it may not be my fault if I screw up. It could be the fact that I am easily influenced by bad company.
The underlying premise here, though, may be flawed. The assumption that evil is more highly influential than good seems to go against everything Jesus taught.
Doesn't love conquer all? Isn't the battle of good and evil always won by the good?
The more we find ourselves in the company of evil, the greater the chance that we will fall in with the crowd. Majority rule takes over and we give in to flow, whether we agree or not.
But why don't we hear about the opposite, where the company of good has a positive influence?
Perhaps it is the Judas effect.
Judas was a trusted and loved disciples of Jesus who was surrounded by good company, and yet turned bad. At least that is the way we remember the story, but we may be oversimplifying.
Whom did Jesus choose to be disciples? Were they all good guys, or did they have a more colorful background?
In this case it wasn't one bad apple spoiling the whole bunch, but one good apple transforming a good percentage of the bushel.
Jesus shows us that one person's influence for good can be great, even when surrounded by not so trustworthy and reputable people.
So, as Mom used to warn us against hanging out with the wrong crowd, we should definitely be aware of the influences around us. But we should also trust in God and believe we can have an even greater influence through the good we choose to do.
We can turn the Judas effect into the Jesus effect.
More to come...