Why Good People Turn

​Today we’re getting into something that most people don’t want to talk about because it feels uncomfortable. We’re talking about the “Spore Effect.” You know, we spend so much time focusing on how to grow good fruit in our lives, joy, peace, humility, and gratefulness. We treat these attributes like they are permanent trophies. But there is a hard truth we have to face: even good fruit can rot.

​I’ve learned through my life that you have to keep your eyes on the basket. Because mold is opportunistic. It doesn’t need an invitation; it just needs a little bit of neglect and the right environment to start spreading.

​The Warning Signs of the “Turn”

​People don’t usually turn for the worst overnight. It starts with a “soft spot.” It starts with a bruise that didn’t get healed.

​Think about it. You’ve seen someone who was once full of Joy, but they stopped being grateful for their own harvest. They started looking at what everyone else had, and slowly, that joy fermented into Envy. You’ve seen someone whose Humility was beautiful, but they let themselves get used one too many times without setting a boundary, and that humility soured into Bitterness.

​They are still “good people” in name, but their fruit has turned. And here is the danger: if you stay pressed up against that rot, it will attempt to transfer to you.

​The Law of Influence

​There is a theological principle at work here, the Law of Influence. We are built for community, but that means we are permeable. We soak up the atmosphere of the people closest to us. The Word is very clear about this in 1 Corinthians 15:33, where it tells us that “bad company corrupts good character.”

​That’s the Spore Effect. You can be the most grounded, peaceful person, but if you spend all your time with someone who is rotting with gossip or resentment, those spores are going to land on you. You’ll find yourself thinking their thoughts and feeling their heaviness.

​Look at King Saul. He was chosen. He was humble in the beginning. But he let a small spot of jealousy toward David sit in his heart. He didn’t prune it. He didn’t check it. And eventually, that mold took over his entire spirit until he was someone his own people didn’t recognize.

​Why Discernment is Your Best Friend

​For those of us who have had to survive and be self-reliant, we have a “sixth sense” for this. We see the “mushy” spots in people before they even see it in themselves.

​Some people will call you judgmental for watching the fruit. They’ll tell you to “just keep loving them.” But loving someone doesn’t mean you have to let their rot ruin your harvest. There is a difference between being judgmental and using Discernment. Discernment is about stewardship. You are the only person responsible for the quality of the spirit you carry.

​How to Protect Your Peace

​So how do you handle it when you see the “turn” happening in your circle?

​First, you have to Address the Spot. If it’s someone you love, bring it to the light. Ask them why they’ve sounded so cynical or envious lately. Sometimes, a little bit of truth is like a wash that can save the fruit.

​Second, you have to be willing to Create Distance. If they refuse to deal with their rot, you have to move them. You don’t have to hate them, but you cannot allow them to stay pressed against you. You have to protect your “skin.”

​And finally, you have to Check Your Own Basket. Every single day, you have to ask: “Am I still fresh? Have I let someone else’s bitterness rub off on me?”

​Closing

​Don’t let someone else’s “turn” for the worst become your story. Stay vigilant. Keep your eyes on the fruit. And remember, you can’t stay healthy in a rotting environment.

​Keep your heart in the light and your eyes on the harvest. That’s the tea for today. Stay fresh.