My daughter Elia has given me permission to tell this story. Elia faced a huge dilemma in high school when her best friends from junior high days started hanging out with a rough crowd, starting smoking and crossing all sorts of boundaries. In order to keep the friendships she would have to start participating in those behaviours.
That was very clear. She decided instead to challenge her friends and call them to a better way. Most of them ignored her, so she separated herself from them. And she’s glad she did, as they’ve continued down the road they started. Now she still cares for them, but she made the choice to not join them in destructive activities.
I think of the Scripture passage (1 Cor 15:33) Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character."