¹ Oh, the joys of those who do not
    follow the advice of the wicked,
    or stand around with sinners,
    or join in with mockers.
² But they delight in the law of the Lord,
    meditating on it day and night.
³ They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
    bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
    and they prosper in all they do.

Reading this there are a number of imperatives the Psalmist challenges us on. Don’t follow advice of the wicked, don’t stand around with sinners….

Then he says, “(don’t) join in with mockers”

What sort of people do I hang around with? Those who mock God, mock the church? It is easy to be cynical about the church, easy to take pot shots. But that does not help anyone. Perhaps we should be setting our minds to have a ‘planned childlikeness” when it comes to God and His Church. See the good. Does this mean we ignore the bad? No. Its hard to do that anyway. But if that is what characterises us, we have a problem.

I don’t take this to mean those who are not part of the Church. I want to hang around with them, I want to be friends and give focus to them.