The Daily Choice

Proverbs 4:10-19
10Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many.
11I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness.
12When you walk, your step will not be hampered, and if you run, you will not stumble.
13Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life.
14Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil.
15Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on.
16For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.
17For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
18But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.
19The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.

In these words from Solomon, we hear echoed the words of his father, King David in Psalm 1. Both father and son had the same message; you can decide against evil and your life will be better.

Psalm 1
1Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.
3He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not  wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
4The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

Sometimes evil things happen to us, usually without warning and the consequences are terrible. But evil is far more subtle most of the time and we are given the opportunity to decline. That is what David and Solomon are saying here. While we do not “choose Jesus” as Lord and Savior (He chooses us), we do get to decide each day if we are going to live for Him or against Him. Evil lurks daily on our porch, waiting for us to answer the door. David and Solomon both say, “don’t do it.” I know that is a vast oversimplification, but when ground down to its final source, that is the message. Don’t choose evil for it will ruin your life.

Both men typify our spiritual lives as a walk. Solomon shows us that life is path, and you get to decide if you’re going to walk the path of righteousness or the path of evil. David shows us that decision as one on a scale. First you are just walking with evil, then you are standing there with evil, until finally you are sitting down engaging with evil. It’s a slippery slope.

So we do well to keep our eyes open and our minds alert, for Satan never rests and his desire is to ensnare us on his own path. Knowing he will try is half the battle. Keeping our distance from him – that is the key. And we’re not on our own here. The Holy Spirit walks with us, ever guiding and leading so that we stay on the path of righteousness.

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