December 21
PROVERBS 24
Be not envious of evil men,
nor desire to be with them,
2 for their hearts devise violence,
and their lips talk of trouble.
3 By wisdom a house is built,
and by understanding it is established;
4 by knowledge the rooms are filled
with all precious and pleasant riches.
– Proverbs 24:1-4
PROVERBS 24 STAY AWAY FROM EVIL MEN
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
As you serve the Lord Jesus Christ, avoid evil men
Do not envy if they have what you don’t have
Their hearts are only after violence and power
If you come close to them, they will want control
Keep filling your heart with the truth in God’s word
Obey God’s laws and the devil will flee from you.
In Psalm 1, David gives us a comparison between the righteous and the wicked men. He also warns us like Solomon to stay away from evil men when David says, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers, but his delight is in the law of the Lord and on his laws, he meditates day and night. He described the righteous and compared it to a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruits in its seasons and its leaves do not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
Then David differentiates the wicked men from the righteous because the evil men are like chaff that the wind drives away. They will not stand the judgement of God nor can they stand amongst the congregation of the righteous. God knows the way of the righteous but the way of the wicked will perish.
REFLECTION
• How can a believer avoid evil men?
