Hobnobbing?

"Live in harmony with each other. Don't try to act important, but enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don't think you know it all." (Romans 12:16, NLT)

Jesus was no hobnobber. 

Hobnobbing is defined as - "mix socially, especially with those of higher social status." Jesus rather mostly associated with the lower classes, with the poor and despised, with criminals (sinners). This is not because he condoned the activities of sinners but was because he wanted to do them good. When he was asked why he was "hanging out with" such low scum of society, he said "they that are in good health have no need of a physician, but they who are sick. I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." (Mark 2: 17; Luke 5: 32) Thus Jesus came to be known as a "friend of sinners." (Matt. 11: 19; Luke 7: 34) Actually, Jesus socialized with both rich and poor, religious and non religious. One such rich high class one was Zacchaeus; And there were others.  

On the above verse in Romans Dr. Richard Trader recently wrote (See here):

"Don't try to act more important than others. If we choose that attitude, others will quickly notice. If we only try to network with the so-called important people, others will quickly notice. Our attempts to get ahead of others by knowing and cultivating friendships with "just the right people" will get our lives out of tune...Enjoy the company of other people, even if you don't agree with them on everything. "

I think that captures the message of the text quite well. In other words, let us not, as Christians, be hobnobbers with the rich and famous, but be willing to socialize with those who are considered criminals, deviants, or misfits. 

There are many bible warnings against hanging out with the wrong crowd. A physician visits the sick, but he does not do it because he enjoys seeing people sick, nor because he encourages unhealthy activities. Likewise many people visit prisons to speak with the prisoners but they do not do it because they condone criminal behavior. We must not go to extremes. We need to hang out with godly people but we should also be as friendly as possible with ungodly people without letting people think our friendliness towards ungodly people is a tacit approval of their ungodliness. There must be good sense used in deciding when and where to socialize with depraved sinners who are practicing their depravity. In other words, we ought not, as Christians, to go to the beer halls to socialize with sinners and give them words of salvation. That would be to do as Jesus warned against, to "cast your pearls before swine." (Matt. 7: 6) 

There are lots of verses in the bible where the wise men of God warned against hanging out with the wrong people. One web page is titled "42+Bible Verses About Hanging Out With The Wrong Crowd" (here). One verse that expresses this idea is this: "Do not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals." (I Cor. 15: 33 ESV) You can put a bad apple into a basket of good apples and the good apples will not make the bad apple good. Rather, the tendency will be that the bad apple will spoil the good apples. So, use care with who you hang out with. Remember, as a Christian, you are only being friendly with sinners and the ungodly in order that you might have opportunity of presenting the gospel to them, their only remedy against their destructive depravity. 

It is bad for Christians to be hobnobbers, to inordinately hang out with the rich, the self righteous, and the highminded. Be willing to hang out with the poor and despised, with the criminals, with the morally depraved. Heed the words of the apostle who practiced this as did his Lord - "Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits." (Rom. 12: 16)

One man in the bible who was a Christian hobnobber was a preacher named Diotrephes. The apostle John said of him: "Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, receives us not." (III John 1: 9) This is true of all hobnobbers. Why do they only socialize with those of the noble or higher classes? It is because they want to ascend the ladder in society and be known and praised. Jude described them, saying:

"These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaks great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage." (Jude 1: 16)

The words highlighted above well describe hobnobbers. They network with only those people they think will be of help to them and aid them in their rise to wealth and fame. Such people show how they are guilty of despising the poor and the lower classes, a thing God despises, and how they are guilty of showing favoritism (or being racist or bigoted) or respect of persons. Sadly, some Christians have manifested such a state of mind. Wrote James the Lord's brother:

"My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?" (James 2: 1-6)