My grandmother used to tell me, “One bad apple ruins the whole bunch.” And as I get older, I have a deeper understanding of the wisdom she shared.

Jesus also tells us in John 15:4, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.”

Jesus wants us to bear good fruit, but what if we are around others who destroy our ability to grow and thrive? Maybe it’s time to distance ourselves away from people distracting us from abiding in Christ, so we can fully rise up to our calling to bear good fruit.

Remember, we can still love these people in our lives and pray for them, but sometimes it’s healthiest for us to love these souls at arm’s length.