Proverbs 1: 8-19

Today's Thought Questions:

1. From where do we receive instruction about God?
2. What distracts us from receiving instruction?

We begin today with a familiar request of a parents: "Hear me! Hear me! Don't forget what we've taught you!!" Times really haven't changed in that regard, if we're being raised by responsible parents.

The Bible notes in quite a few places the importance of parents in teaching, training, bringing up their children. Why is parents' instruction so important--to be called "a graceful wreath" and "ornaments"? (vs 9) Their instruction offers much to the protect their offspring from the enticement of sinners.

If we are enticed, what do we do? "Do not consent." (vs 10) Sounds simple enough. Why don't we all do that? Ask your kids why they don't, if you don't remember.

Sin is what separates us from God. It's everything He is not. We may rate it in our own minds on a scale, but God doesn't. The examples we read today--murder and robbery--may be on your "worse" scale, but God wants us to substitute gossip and "little white lies" in these passages and infer the same conclusion.

"Come with us..." (vs 11)--the peer pressure call-to-action that lures us into trouble. Look at vs. 13 and its promises of reaping tangible benefits. I love how my study Bible puts this: "This is the enlisting of the innocent without full disclosure of intent." I'll say!

Again, though, are we not all swayed in some way by a promise of fulfillment for something that won't truly satisfy? Worse, something that leads us to sin! (Remember, the wages of sin is death.... Romans 6:23)

Hear the voice of wisdom, as it comes through Godly parents--"My son, do not walk in the way with them. Keep your feet from their path...." (vs 25) The biggest mistake we make is taking one step toward that direction. Will we accept training and instruction that wisdom's voice might overpower that of the one leading us to sin?

Our passage for today closes with an interesting picture. Verse 17: "Indeed, it is useless to spread the baited net in the sight of any bird."

The point being, if the bird saw the net--and knew that it was a net and what a net could do (that's critical...that's knowledge and discernment!)--would it be in this position? Yet, as the passage concludes, this is what sinners do to themselves. They rush into their sin; their lives are taken.

To review yesterday's Scripture, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The more we have the Lord in our sights, the less likely we will have our feet turning toward the path of sinners, toward their ensnaring nets!


(Photo: www.wildturkeyhuntinginfo.com/turkey-traps/)

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Tomorrow's Scripture Focus and Thought Questions:

Proverbs 1: 20-33

1. Do you desire to respond to Wisdom's call? If so, what does God promise to do?
2. What has God taught you though these verses?

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Note: I read from the New American Standard Bible translation, specifically, The MacArthur Study Bible (NASB). I will quote other sources if used in a post.
I also use Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (with notes from the King James Version).