Consent Thou Not

Proverbs 1:8-19

Whether we’re young and still under the authority of our parents or we’re older and making decisions for ourselves, there’s good advice contained in the first chapter of Proverbs. We’ll be addressing verses 8 through 19 today, which is wisdom from a father to a son about evil influences. There are some details about how these evil influences behave and some encouragement to walk in the opposite direction.

At first reading, the behavior of the sinners described in this passage doesn’t sound too enticing. We may think to ourselves, “I would never get wrapped up in something like that.” But don’t be so sure.

Based on the news reports I read every day, someone is getting involved with things like this, probably someone who assumed they never would. And they could have used this advice as they traveled along life’s path. Evil influences can take us far off course. They can ruin any chance we had of being godly people. They’re used by the enemy to destroy us. Let’s hear more about them as we begin our passage of the day.

Proverbs 1:8-9

My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.

Sons should hear and heed the instruction of fathers. They should not forget or reject the instruction of mothers. At our earliest age and far into our adulthood, their words should ring in our ears. They want what is best for us. And if they know God, they want us to follow God and they tell us the things that will help us walk with Him. Obedience to their instructions will adorn us. If we’ve learned their lessons, it will go well for us. And the respect and honor we gain in life will come from developing the character traits they encouraged in us.

There are always exceptions, of course. Not every parent models the right behavior. But those who do should be regarded highly. They should be respected and acclaimed. But their influence is often countered by those in the world. Their wisdom goes against conventional wisdom, and that is the wisdom of the world. Parents know this.

Proverbs 1:10

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

That’s where we get our theme of the day. Solomon teaches here that we should not just go along. If those who live according to a pattern of sin encourage us to do something, we should not consent. We should reject their evil ways and reject their foolishness.

Misery loves company, it is said. And a drunkard always wants a drinking buddy. A macho man always wants a sidekick. Cowards always form gangs, and they want us to join. This is the nature of sin. A sinner wants us to join with them. But Solomon says, “Don’t.”

What kind of person are we talking about? Well, the word “sinners” means someone who’s guilty. They are an offender. This is someone who’s seen or who’s known to do wrong. They’re the wrong kind of friend, someone who will likely get us into trouble. This is how some of these sinners act.

Proverbs 1:11-13

If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit: We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoil:

These evil influences say, “Come with us. Let us hide and beat to death. Anyone who happens to walk by will swallow them whole as the grave swallows a dying man. We’ll take everything they have and we’ll fill our houses with the stolen goods.”

Some of these offenders have criminal intent, violent intent. They’re planning to target innocent people. They’re going to hurt them or even worse. And they do this because of the kind of people they are, but they also do it to get money. They want to enrich themselves by taking from others, at the expense of others. “This is a way to get easy money,” they say, “by hurting someone else.” And they want any poor sucker they can find to join in with them.

Proverbs 1:14

Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:

Their plea is to join their gang, to become one of them, to show that you fit in.

But I’ve got some news for anyone considering it. The kind of person that steals from a stranger will also steal from someone they call a friend. And if we share a purse, their portion will always wind up bigger if they can get away with it. It may start off as a 50-50 proposition, but it likely won’t stay that way. For this and so many other reasons, we should reject them out of hand, reject their way, reject their attitude, walk in the opposite direction. That’s what Solomon recommends.

Proverbs 1:15

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

Don’t just reject them, reject their ways too. Don’t even take the first step along their path. There’s no such thing as easy money. There’s no easy way to a good life. And hurting others doesn’t make people wealthy. It’s more like a fast track to imprisonment. It’s only hard work and dedication and honesty that reap rewards. This is the only right way.

But these offenders (these sinners) don’t believe this.

Proverbs 1:16-19

For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood. Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird. And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives. So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh away the life of the owners thereof.

The section is rephrased this way in the ERV. “They run to do something evil. They cannot wait to kill someone. You cannot trap birds with a net if they see you spreading it out. But evil people cannot see the trap that they’ve set for themselves. This is what happens to those who are greedy. Whatever they get destroys them.”

Radical service of self is destructive. It destroys others, but it also destroys the one who is selfish. While the selfish person believes they’re setting a trap for others, they’re actually setting a trap for themselves. Their ill-gotten gain turns out to be no gain at all. It’s a curse and a ticking time bomb that will most certainly go off.

Whether we have these evil tendencies or we’re being influenced by others with this radical selfishness, we should reject this path. Don’t even take the first step down it. Anyone who’s already on this path should turn back. We should learn what God says. We should learn who God is. Embrace His son, Jesus, and follow Him and Him alone with our whole heart.

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This article is produced from a transcript of Take Note, a podcast and radio program from Harvest Family Radio on Guam. The author and host is Chris Harper, the Station Manager of KHMG, local Christian radio for Guam. We encourage you to check out KHMG and subscribe to its podcasts.