my son, do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths; for their feet rush into sin, they are swift to shed blood. Proverbs 1:15-16
Resisting temptation is wise. I’ll even go one further. If you think about it, it’s one of the nine qualities of the fruit of the Spirit: self-control. Not allowing yourself to be put into tempting situations is a wise choice. I’m primarily addressing the men with this devotional.
I’ve probably used this illustration in this space but it’s appropriate here. The queen was interviewing coach drivers and asked, “how close to the edge of a mountain could you steer the coach?” After several precise answers, one man wisely said, “Ma’am, as far away from the edge as possible.”
Gentlemen, I implore you, don’t put yourselves in situations where temptation is one or two easy steps away from actual sin (i.e., surfing the Internet for hours with no one else at home to keep you in check). It’s a recipe for trouble. You’re probably not that strong. And if you were, why would you want to test it? As they say nowadays, “let’s not even go there.”
Exercising self-control before being put into tempting situation is wise.