Don't

Prov. 1:10 (NKJV)
My son, if sinners entice you, don't consent.

There is a lot of truth packed in that little verse. First we see Solomon as a loving father warning his son. There is love built into that relationship that gives power to this phrase. It is not some stranger's warning, it is fatherly advice. Second we see that in the world out there are sinners. People who have given themselves over to sin. Sin is what they do and what they are known for. Third, sinners entice non-sinners to become sinners too. Whether because of guilt, or because of lust, sinners are always trying to drum up more business. Drug abusers begin dealing to support their habit, liars need other liars to support their story, thieves need get-a-way drivers, etc. Sinners will always entice non-sinners to become sinners. Fourth, we see the response "don't consent." Pretty simple, but here is a nugget of truth we find in the Hebrew. The root of this word implies a passive acceptance. You see, our first steps into sin are not usually bold active steps, they are passive acceptance of sinful thoughts and behaviors in others. Let me splain ... It is not so much "don't give in to actively becoming a sinner," it is more "don't passively consent to be enticed." Make sense? So today we must ask ourselves the question, what sin am I passively accepting? What am I allowing to entice me, whether it is in the music I listen to, or the books I read, or the shows I watch? Am consenting to the enticement of sinners?