Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Proverbs 4:10-19
Prov 4:10-19
Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many. I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness. When you walk, your step will not be hampered, and if you run, you will not stumble. Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life. Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil. Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on. For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble. For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day. The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.
In talking with a number of people who have worked in addiction therapy facilities (or still do), there is one thing that all of them have told me is necessary for an addict to stay clean. They must change their friends. If they go back home and continue to “hang” with their addicted friends (or family) they will be back on their addiction pretty quickly. If they refuse to associate with any of them, they will probably stay clean from then on. Bad friends ruin good morals.
If you put on a pair of white gloves to go to work in your flowers or garden, you will find very quickly that the gloves get dirty, but the soil never gets white. We all understand this. The same is true with evil and the people who practice it. When we constantly associate with people who love sin and have no desire to follow God, we will find ourselves being influenced by them much more often than we see them being changed by us. Over time, we become accepting of their sin and it dulls our conscience, and then we find ourselves being a part of it with them.
Paul says we must live in this world, but we are not to become a part of it. We must be around ungodly people if we want to reach them with Jesus. But we do not have to make them our best friends or our constant companions. These things are true for people of all ages, not just young people. Many godly people have been led astray at work, in hobbies, or sports by their associates, at all ages.
O Lord, help me be careful to do what is right in all things. Help me think before I speak and to say only those things that would build up others and not tear down or cause trouble. Help me be a better listener, and when appropriate, to just say nothing. Give me wisdom to choose my friends carefully. Use me to reach those who do not know you and do not serve Jesus. Lord, this world is full of evil, there is so much sickness and disease, there is loss and grief. Be with those who are hurting and give them your peace. I humbly pray in the name of Jesus.
Robert
