JAN 29

Proverbs 27:12
Memorise Proverbs 27:12
“A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself…”

CAN WE PLAN AGAINST TEMPTATION?

A Christian who knows his sinful nature, has no pride nor confidence in his own ability to withstand temptation, and purposes in his heart that he does not ever want to sin. He is seen as a prudent man. A prudent Christian is a thoughtful and careful one. Whilst he must always depend on Christ for strength to withstand temptations he also knows he has a responsibility to win his battle with temptation against Satan. He is a planner – he plans against temptation. He looks forward and with wisdom can foresee – ‘predict’ the evil that lies ahead, and when he sees it, he hides – he actively takes steps to avoid it so that it will not ‘see’ him and harm him. He does not want to be found by temptation – this idea that temptations seeks us out. In contrast a simple man – who is a fool, who heads straight for temptation, succumbs and is punished.

Remember playing hide-and-seek as a child? We hide because we do not want to be found by the seeker who pursues and wants to expose us. We try to find the best place to hide. So this should be our attitude to temptation, to fear it discovering us, so we hide and hide well. Consider a time of war. If we know that we are outnumbered and surrounded by the enemy, the best thing we can do as a civilian is to seek out the best place to hide and stays there until it is safe, for our very life is at stake.

Sadly, for many Christians, instead of doing all he can to hide from sin, the opposite is true! We like to go as close to it as possible, or even immerse ourselves in situations, activities, bad company believing we can stand and not be corrupted? We expose ourselves to sin and all the corrupting influences of the world, and then proudly insist that we will not succumb to their temptations. We watch all sorts of TV shows and movies, play games and spend hours surfing the internet, and then we wonder why we keep sinning and struggle so much with sin? We do not seem to value our spiritual lives! We have more in common with the simple than the prudent. Remember what happened to the simple fool? He was punished for his sin. Giving in to temptation has consequences. Do you fear punishment? Why then choose it?

Thought: What are external (outside) sources of temptation in your life?
Prayer: Give me the wisdom to foresee evil in my path and avoid it.