My son, if sinners entice you, do not give in to them. Proverbs 1:10

Oddly enough, I wrote yesterday’s devotion without looking at this verse. It fits too.

Remember Joey? He was part of the “wrong crowd” my teacher didn’t want me hanging around.

Some people want to drag you down and tempt you. It can be as simple as imploring you to turn over “juicy” gossip that you have. Or it can be the other way around. How many times have you heard, “I probably shouldn’t say this,” but they end up saying it? I should ask how many times this week did you hear the phrase? That person is trying to entice you, to engage you, to bring you into their, well, dirt. It’s a simple example, but I think it makes a fair point: even in the easiest of situations, it’s not always easy to resist our unhealthy urges.

So, in the next few days, listen for those words, “I probably shouldn’t say this.” Stop the person and agree, “You’re right. You shouldn’t” and let it go at that. You don’t have to be rude or obnoxious about it, but let it be clear that you don’t need to hear and/or spread gossip. You don’t want to go down that path, and with God’s strength, you don’t have to.