Wisdom Speaks from Proverbs 1

Wisdom Speaks: My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. (Proverbs 1:10).

This instruction is so simple, it seems that it shouldn’t even have to be given. But even as the writer was instructing his son, this simple direction is relevant to us today. “If sinners entice thee…”

As people of God, we have to be able to distinguish, and be distinguished from, sinners. It is important that we know whose advice to take, whose plans to buy into, whose decisions to uphold. You can tell by their activity. Sinners entice. They make bad look good – evil look righteous – ugly look pretty. They flatter and flirt until you see things their way. They are the people who will tell you, “Nobody else will know,” or “just do it this one time” or “what can it hurt?”

The writer says we have power over the enticement. We are admonished, “Consent thou not.” In other words, don’t give into suggestions that will take you outside the will of God. Run if you have to, pray if you have to, cry if you have to, but don’t consent. Do not give in to the enticer.

It is wonderful to know that we are the ones with the power. We can resist! The Bible tells us what will happen if we do.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7 (KJV).

That is good news! But it only works if we follow the first part of the equation: submit to God. It is He who gives us the power to resist the devil and to withstand the ridicule of those who choose to live contrary to God’s ways. Enticers cannot withstand the power of a life truly submitted to God.

Something good to think about when someone other than Wisdom speaks.