Proverbs 1:8-18

Don't Fall For It

8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

The first part is about initiation and the second is about continuity. Listen, heed, and apply what your father is trying to teach you then don't turn away later fromyour mother's rules. There is not a distinction here between the instructions of the father and that of the mother. Rather, the teacher is placing them on equal footing and advising the learner that he or she needs to pay close attention to the truth the parents are teaching and continue to live by that truth throughout life.

9 For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.

The incentive to continue in sound instruction and wise living is that applied wisdom looks good on those who are adorned in it. Both mother and father are out to make their children more attractive, compelling, and relatable through wise behavior. It is in our best interest to be good students.

10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.

It is not just "if," but "when." Sinners are notorious enticers but they cannot take us under their spells without our consent. We can resist and reject their pretty words and empty promises. Sometimes we will feel ostracized; sometimes we feel silly; often no one understands. Yet, we know when something is just not right.

Don't give in to them.

There is only one surrender that is legitimate for the ri.ghteous man or woman and that is surrender to God.

11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: 12 Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit: 13 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil: 14 Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:

Our erstwhile friends will use all of their powers of persuasion to appeal to our basest, vilest nature. They will try to make the ugly seem attractive. They actually gloss over some parts of the story and go to the so-called rewards. They focus on the purse and not the pursuit. Solomon gives us the whole speech with the deleted parts accentuated. Our "friends" say, "Come on; it's all good." Between the lines they are saying, "It doesn't matter who we hurt and how much blood we shed, we'll get what we want. The amazing thing is that some folks will trust scounddrels like that.

15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:

Don't go along with the scoundrels. Don't walk in their way. Don't step on their path. Don't emmulate them, admire them, or take advice from them. Stay clear and stay free.

16 For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.

They don't just stumble on to trouble. They run to it enthusiastically. Yes, there are people like that in the world and those are the people your parents warned you about and you warn your children about.

17 Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.

The rewards are really not what they are cracked up to be. It is useless. In the Message it says that no one robs a bank with everyone watching. These folks are not content to be malicious; they brag about it in the open and they almost always, at some point, get caught.

18 And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives.

Violent, thieving, coniving scoundrels end up being their own worse enemies. The more they attack others, the closer their weapons get to their own skin. Eventually, they will do themselves in unwittingly, but surely. Don't fall for their lies.

19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

Look at the end of the lives of notorious criminals. You will be hard put to find many that end well. Greed that says, "I want what is yours and I will stop at nothing to have it, " is destructive not only of the victim, but also of the perpetrator.