Proverbs 4:14-19 says,...
Today's verses are Proverbs 4:14-19, which read,
v.14, 15 - Do not enter the path of the wicked and do not proceed in the way of evil men. Avoid it, do not pass by it; turn away from it and pass on.
Do not enter; do not proceed; avoid it, do not pass by; turn away; and pass on. Look at all the practical steps to keep on the path of wisdom and bypass the path of the foolish. You get a picture here of someone on a path and a path of wicked has presented itself as an alternative route.
First, do not enter it. Do not take a few steps down it to see what it is like. Don't make the excuse that you could always turn around if it gets bad.
Second, avoid it. Walk by on the other side of the wisdom path. Do not give attention to it because you are focused on where you are walking.
Third, do not pass by it. Do not wander over near it to take a look. Do not peer down it as you swerve over to take just for a peek.
Fourth, turn away from it. Look the other way. Close your eyes if possible to protect what goes into your mind and thoughts.
Fifth, pass on. Walk on by that foolish path and don't look back. Look down at the path of the wise that you are on and keep going forward.
v.16, 17 - For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; and they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble. For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
Do you see a different communion here? The communion of the wise is that Jesus' body and blood are represented and remembered in the bread and the wine but the communion of the foolish is that the bread is wickedness and the wine is violence. They worship wickedness and violence. They eat it up and they drink it up. They don't rest easy unless they have made someone else's life miserable. That seems really odd to say but it is true because the goal of the foolish is to somehow make their life greater than others and so one tears down others to build oneself up.
How different for the followers of God who are instructed to lift up not your own lives but the love of God and the love of others. You rest easy because you are at peace with God and at peace with others as much as you are able. You take the communion of Christ focused on what He did rather than the communion of the foolish that focuses on what you are doing.
v.18, 19 - But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day. The way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.
I have driven through the night many times and there is nothing like the dawn when it starts to appear. You look forward to the dawn when those hidden dangers on the road are revealed for you to avoid. The light of the dawn assists you so much to navigate where you need to go.
Notice that it is a "path" of the righteous and the "way" of the wicked. A path is single file wore dirt path made by the feet of those who have gone before you. Much attention is needed to stay on the path and great focus to placing your steps to keep on the path. Light, wisdom, is crucial to walking the path.
The way is a broad road that was constructed to handle many travelers. There is a lot of space to spread out and not much attention is needed to stay on this way because it is so wide. You can easily bump into others on the way because you don't need to focus on where you are placing your steps. Darkness, foolishness, doesn't hinder those who are walking on the way for they stumble and it means nothing to them.
Are you on the path or on the way? This again sounds much like Jesus' teaching in the New Testament about the narrow path that leads to life and the wide road that leads to destruction. Jesus tells us that many travel the wide road but few travel the path. Be wise and acquire God's wisdom to be a path follower today and each day that the dawn arises. Let's pray.
"Lord, what beautiful word pictures for us to think about today. You have set our feet on a path of holiness and righteousness through Your life, death, and resurrection. Other ways will present themselves to us as options but may we heed Your instruction to not enter or proceed in the way. May we avoid and stay clear, turn away and pass on, so that we walk in the light that You provided and experience sleeping in peace with You and others as we rise each morning to more from You. Help us to focus our steps today on the path of wisdom. Amen."
Pastor Adam
v.14, 15 - Do not enter the path of the wicked and do not proceed in the way of evil men. Avoid it, do not pass by it; turn away from it and pass on.
Do not enter; do not proceed; avoid it, do not pass by; turn away; and pass on. Look at all the practical steps to keep on the path of wisdom and bypass the path of the foolish. You get a picture here of someone on a path and a path of wicked has presented itself as an alternative route.
First, do not enter it. Do not take a few steps down it to see what it is like. Don't make the excuse that you could always turn around if it gets bad.
Second, avoid it. Walk by on the other side of the wisdom path. Do not give attention to it because you are focused on where you are walking.
Third, do not pass by it. Do not wander over near it to take a look. Do not peer down it as you swerve over to take just for a peek.
Fourth, turn away from it. Look the other way. Close your eyes if possible to protect what goes into your mind and thoughts.
Fifth, pass on. Walk on by that foolish path and don't look back. Look down at the path of the wise that you are on and keep going forward.
v.16, 17 - For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; and they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble. For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
Do you see a different communion here? The communion of the wise is that Jesus' body and blood are represented and remembered in the bread and the wine but the communion of the foolish is that the bread is wickedness and the wine is violence. They worship wickedness and violence. They eat it up and they drink it up. They don't rest easy unless they have made someone else's life miserable. That seems really odd to say but it is true because the goal of the foolish is to somehow make their life greater than others and so one tears down others to build oneself up.
How different for the followers of God who are instructed to lift up not your own lives but the love of God and the love of others. You rest easy because you are at peace with God and at peace with others as much as you are able. You take the communion of Christ focused on what He did rather than the communion of the foolish that focuses on what you are doing.
v.18, 19 - But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day. The way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.
I have driven through the night many times and there is nothing like the dawn when it starts to appear. You look forward to the dawn when those hidden dangers on the road are revealed for you to avoid. The light of the dawn assists you so much to navigate where you need to go.
Notice that it is a "path" of the righteous and the "way" of the wicked. A path is single file wore dirt path made by the feet of those who have gone before you. Much attention is needed to stay on the path and great focus to placing your steps to keep on the path. Light, wisdom, is crucial to walking the path.
The way is a broad road that was constructed to handle many travelers. There is a lot of space to spread out and not much attention is needed to stay on this way because it is so wide. You can easily bump into others on the way because you don't need to focus on where you are placing your steps. Darkness, foolishness, doesn't hinder those who are walking on the way for they stumble and it means nothing to them.
Are you on the path or on the way? This again sounds much like Jesus' teaching in the New Testament about the narrow path that leads to life and the wide road that leads to destruction. Jesus tells us that many travel the wide road but few travel the path. Be wise and acquire God's wisdom to be a path follower today and each day that the dawn arises. Let's pray.
"Lord, what beautiful word pictures for us to think about today. You have set our feet on a path of holiness and righteousness through Your life, death, and resurrection. Other ways will present themselves to us as options but may we heed Your instruction to not enter or proceed in the way. May we avoid and stay clear, turn away and pass on, so that we walk in the light that You provided and experience sleeping in peace with You and others as we rise each morning to more from You. Help us to focus our steps today on the path of wisdom. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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