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Prov. 2:11 -13 (NKJV)

Discretion will preserve you; Understanding will keep you, To deliver you from the way of evil, From the man who speaks perverse things, From those who leave the paths of uprightness To walk in the ways of darkness;



One of the most difficult things in ministry is to watch people leave. Some will leave with stated objections to doctrine or practice and although they are the most vocal and do the most damage, they are not the ones you miss and hurt for as a pastor. The heartbreak for most pastors and for that matter most parents is to see the ones that they have given themselves to willfully leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness. We call it back sliding but in reality it is a conscious decision that people make. In ministry we must protect our most vulnerable people from those who choose the evil path. We do so by teaching discretion and understanding. As was said in a previous devotional this demands that we go beyond rules and teach principles. We teach our people to distinguish between truth and error in any situation. In response to this passage, we must encourage people to attend small group Bible Study where they are taught to apply God's Word to their daily lives. It is there that they will receive the instruction in spiritual discernment and understanding.