Proverbs 4:13-15, Escape for Thy Life
February 15, Proverbs 4:13-15
Psalm 1; 1 Pet. 5:1-11 “But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works” (Ps. 106:35).
Escape for Thy Life
We now must take a closer look at the path of the wicked and those who travel it. The wicked have their path. It is very broad and very winding. It is popular today to reject negative virtue, but there can be no positive virtue without it. “Negative virtue is not good enough; we must do good” (William S. Plumer). How can the guilt-ridden love themselves unless and until they face the reasons for their anger and hate? Wisdom sounds a fervent warning here declaring that “virtue is the only true nobility”.
- Resolute Refusal is the only safe course to follow when allured by the path that leads to sin (vs.14-15). Oh! Young person, whatever the evil course that tempts you, your only safety is to refuse to take a single step into that path. To drive this crucial principle home, Solomon gave it six decisive hammer-blows that as someone aptly remarked, it may be as a nail fastened in a sure place (Isa. 22:23). Listen to the sound of these blows and take heed. Enter not, go not in it, avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. Sin has made us so dull of hearing that much repetition is necessary. This emphasises the urgent need of parents to caution their young people against all forms of evil, and, oh! that more parents would cry Dangerous rocks ahead! “If you love God and your own soul, avoid the way of evil. Keep at a great distance; never think you can get far enough from it” (Henry). The advice not to walk in the ways of evil men also occurs frequently in other Scriptures. We are known by the company we keep out of as well as the by the company we keep.
- Rotten Rogues must be unmasked. What a devilish analysis this is (vs.16-17)! Here are men so sunken that they cannot sleep unless they rob others of their sleep or cause them to sin. They thrive on mischief and violence! They take special pleasure in robbing others of their innocence and making them as bad as themselves. What they obtain by fraud and oppression is their meat and drink. If we are what we eat, then a steady diet of vice makes such men insensitive to the horror of their sins. It only whets their appetite for more of the same. Violence feeds violence. Life is as a road that we are all travelling ,and frequently we must choose between the path of evil men or the path of good men. Half of our virtue, someone neatly said, is due to being kept out of temptation’s way. Many stiles leading to Bypath Meadows were to be seen near Bunyan’s Bedford. In Pilgrim’s Progress he wrote, “Beware of bye-paths; take heed thou dost not turn into those lanes that lead out of the way. There are crooked paths, paths in which men go astray, paths that lead to death and damnation.” Christian led Hopeful over such a convenient stile into Bypath Meadow and into the clutches of a rotten rogue called Giant Despair! Let Christian’s pitiful cry be a warning, “Who could have thought that this path should have led us out of the way? I did not do it of an evil intent.” Nehemiah’s life-motto was, So did not I, because of the fear of God (Neh. 5:15).
Thought: “Make it appear by our prayers that we are well taught” (Henry).
Prayer: Dear Lord, lead me not into temptation.