NOVEMBER 6, Proverbs 13:20

Jeff was annoyed. “Why do Mom and Dad have to be so oldfashioned?” he muttered to himself. “Everybody else gets to go to Sam’s party tonight,even Phil.” Jeff ’s parents would not let him go to the party because Sam’s mom and dad were out of town and Sam’s older brother, James, who was chaperoning the party, did not have a good reputation.

The next day was Saturday, and Jeff ’s friend, Phil, came over to play video games. “Did you know that Alan is in the hospital?” Phil asked, as soon as he arrived. “They think he may have bacterial meningitis and we sat next to him on the bus yesterday! My mom says if he has it, we’ll probably have to get shots!”

“Aw!” groaned Jeff. “How come?”“Because the kind he probably has is contagious, and we’ve been exposed,” Phil explained. “My mom thinks there are shots that might keep us from getting it. It’s a really serious disease.”

“I sure hope Alan’s going to be alright,” Jeff said. “By the way, how was the party last night?”

“Be glad you didn’t go!” exclaimed Phil. “James and some of his friends had alcoholic drinks there.They were using us younger guys as a cover-up. And I didn’t like the loud music and the way they were acting. I was not comfortable and left early.”

Jeff ’s mother had been listening. “I was afraid something like that might happen,” she said. “That’s why I didn’t want you to go, Jeff. I didn’t want you to be exposed to sin.” “But sin is everywhere, isn’t it?” protested Jeff. “We’re exposed to it every day.” “That’s true,” agreed Mom. “And bacterial meningitis germs could be anywhere too. But some places are more dangerous than others.”

Phil nodded. “I get it! We were in more danger sitting next to Alan on the bus than we would have been somewhere away from him,” he said, “and I was in more danger at the party than you were at home, Jeff. Wow! Two close calls for me in one day - double exposure!”

Thought: Do you avoid exposure to sin? What about the places you go to, the friends you choose, the TV programmes you watch, or the websites you look at?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, teach me to be careful and to avoid bad company for it can easily corrupt me and be a real danger. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.