Very often those who hear distressing conversation are in places where they should not be. If they had not, of their own choice, been in the midst of the company of the ungodly they would not have heard their speech. We see a remarkable example of this in Lot who dwelt in Sodom." Sodom was a very wicked city; in fact, it was so wicked that God could not find ten righteous persons in it, and He destroyed it with fire and brimstone. We know from 2 Peter 2:8, 98(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) 9The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: (2 Peter 2:8‑9) that Lot was a "righteous man" although living in the city of gross wickedness. And God lets us know what passed through his soul daily when he saw and heard their awful corruption: “And delivered just Lot, VEXED with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man DWELLING AMONG THEM, in seeing and hearing, VEXED HIS RIGHTEOUS SOUL from day to day with their unlawful deeds.)”
How did it happen that Lot was "dwelling among them"? For a long time Lot had gone on in company with his godly uncle, Abraham, who did not live in Sodom nor company with the men of it. Good had it been for Lot if he had followed his uncle's example, or better still if he had remained close to him. But Lot viewed the whole country around Sodom and evidently thought it offered better worldly advantage, so he made a deliberate choice. He parted company with his godly uncle only to company with the ungodly to the distress of his soul. May we beware of choosing the companionship of the ungodly for any cause. Lot did not get into that position in one step, but gradually. We need to beware of the first steps that take us into the world. Let us remember the first verse in the Psalms: “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”
Lot could have avoided having his soul vexed from day to day by remaining out of Sodom. He may even have thought that he could exert a good influence and improve Sodom, but good does not come from doing evil "that good may come." Let us then avoid the companionship of the "ungodly," "sinners," and "scornful." May we rather seek our "own company" (Acts 4:2323And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. (Acts 4:23)) which are those "who call on the Lord out of a pure heart." Another verse bearing on this subject is: “ENTER NOT into the path of the wicked, and GO NOT in the way of evil men. AVOID it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away." Prov. 4:14, 1514Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. 15Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. (Proverbs 4:14‑15).
Peter was sitting by the fire of the ungodly warming himself when he denied his Lord (Mark 14:54,66-6854And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest: and he sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire. (Mark 14:54)
66And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest: 67And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth. 68But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew. (Mark 14:66‑68)). If we deliberately or needlessly place ourselves in bad company it is very likely that we too shall dishonor our Lord.