Week 41 | One Bad Apple

Have you ever been on a team where one athlete's bad attitude affected everyone in the group? There is a saying that, "One bad apple spoils the bunch." The phrase is used to describe a situation in which one person's negative attitude can negatively affect the entire group, causing them to have a similar negative attitude.

I'm not sure how or where this phrase began, but it does have some basis in science. When apples begin to decay, they emit gasses. If the rotting apple is mixed in with other apples, the good apples can absorb the gasses and begin to rot as well.

It is important to keep good apples away from bad apples.

I've had similar experiences on teams. I have had teams become torn apart because the negative attitudes and behaviors of one teammate went unchecked.

I have also had similar experiences with individual athletes. They allow one bad apple, one negative influence, or one correctable character flaw to negatively affect who they are, and it kills their potential and eventually their career.

We have to guard ourselves against bad apples, but can we do so while trying to help them or without removing them from our lives?

In Matthew 18, Jesus preached about bad apples. When His disciples asked Him who was the greatest in the kingdom, Jesus said to them, "Whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

He then said:

"If anyone causes one of these little ones - those who believe in me - to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the seas. Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell."

Jesus makes it clear that we should not be bad apples. We aren't supposed to cause anyone to stumble, or anyone to sin, and if we have something in our lives that causes us to stumble or sin, we are supposed to cut it out.

When we are a part of a team, we don't have the ability to cut out the bad apples, but we do have to protect ourselves, our thoughts, and our behaviors. Peer pressure can be tough and easy to fall into, and it can be hard to stand up for yourself and fight against negative influences and bullying. But we have to choose, every day, to be strong in the Lord and to put on the full armor of God and think the right things, say the right things, and do the right things (Ephesians 6:10-18).

Today, right now, think about what kind of person you want to be. Write it down. Then live it out. Be determined to be the person you want to be and live the life you want to live, no matter what is going on around you. When you make that decision, there will still be bad apples around you, but you will also see the good apples too, the people who want to live life like you.

Decide today to put on the armor of God, and do good things!!

THIS WEEK

1 - Decide on what kind of apple you are going to be. Are you going to be one who is positive, encouraging, and approaches everything with energy and enthusiasm, or are you going to be negative, bring people down, and fold when faced with adversity?

2 - When good things are happening, how are you going to share your positive energy with others?

3 - When adversity hits, how are you going to stay positive and keep doing the next, right thing?

4 - What is a Bible verse or story, or who is a good example that you can follow?

For me, every day morning I will read Ephesians 6:10-17:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people. 

For a Google doc version of this devo, click here: One Bad Apple