Proverbs 4:14 “do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil”
At the age of ten, I had a paper round. Delivering morning newspapers every day except Saturday. I would get up around 5 am, get dressed, and then straight out the door and the five hundred yard walk to the local shop. Picking up the heavy grey print stained bag, I would sling it over one shoulder and shout a greeting to the shopkeeper, I was out the door, and away to start the round.
We lived on the edge of a very wealthy part of Edinburgh. The houses were spread out and many had long driveways up to the main house. The streets were quiet.
Some days I would be in the zone and be moving quickly from house to house, knowing the sticky letterboxes, the ones with dogs, and the ones where it was best to leave on the doormat. Occasionally I would doddle, reading the comic pages and wandering around giant back gardens, daydreaming.
On Sunday’s I had the same round and an extra area, I had to go back to the shop twice as the papers were so much bigger and heavier, and I had extra drops. The money I earned was kept for me by my mum in a small wooden box in the kitchen side dresser.
The first Christmas on my round I did not realise that people would tip me. They would come to the door and hand me an envelope with one pound note or sometimes more in it. I think one pound was what I earned for the whole week and ten shillings on a Sunday. (this was before decimalisation).
One lady gave me a five-pound note. This was in 1969, I think my dad was working full time as a crane operator on around thirty pounds a week – which included overtime. I remember the box was full of notes and coins. But I had no access to the money and it was never talked about. I would have had around forty or fifty pounds in the box by Christmas.
For context, a mars bar was around four pennies (4d) then. There were twelve pennies in a shilling, and twenty shillings in a pound. So by today’s money, based on the cost of a Mars bar at $1, it would be like ….well a lot anyway.
Eventually, I could no longer stand it, and I would sneak through to the kitchen before heading out on my paper round and stealing some coins or a note (ten shillings or a one-pound note). I would buy lollies and soda at school from the little local shop, and not bother with school dinners. This went on for some weeks. But eventually, my mum noticed and told my dad. You can guess the rest I’m sure.
I still have the box, with a few old coins in it, 50 years later.
KNOWLEDGE
Simple ingredients, follow the instructions, just do what it says. Newton’s third law of physics states “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction”. We have so many choices to make each day, we could easily get overly introspective, overly analytical, or overly cautious and eventually inert. That’s not the purpose of this scripture though. This is a reminder, we have been taught wisdom.
For you and I, if we are already Christians, we have the Holy Spirit who will guide us [e.g. Luke 4:1; Acts 13:2; Acts 15:28; Romans 8:14; Galatians 5:18; Romans 8:26-27; 1Cor 12:7-11 and many more].
Our aim then is to develop intimacy with the Holy Spirit, so that when choices come we can hear his leading. This warning is a repeated warning – we have heard this and similar cries throughout the last four chapters. There is a reason for this, as the bible is not given to unnecessary repetition. In my experience in life, especially as a pastor, small decisions that are hastily made, and that have immediate gratification at the root of them, lead to bigger decisions hastily made, that lead to bigger…..well you get the picture. I have spoken to so many people who have found themselves caught up in the consequences of their decisions, that started with what must have seemed to them at the time as a small compromise.
We have the opportunity here to negate that path, to block that avenue. Simple ingredients……follow the instructions…….just do what it says…….develop a lifestyle of intimacy with The Holy Spirit.
UNDERSTANDING
Let’s pick one word from this verse to look closer at and see if that can help us gain a deeper insight into how God would love us to live?
The Hebrew word for “enter” is pronounced “bo’ ” and this word appears 2592 times in the Old Testament. There are several English words the ESV uses to translate this word, such as, brought; determined; come; direction; advanced; arrive; went; and, go.
In this verse (14) the general meaning could be not to “even approach” this way of life.
WISDOM: what’s your lifestyle today?
STRENGTHS THOUGHT: Discipline and Focus as a theme dynamic have boundaries that help your concentration, and allow you to stay focused on what you really value, always planning to progress.
Allan’s Unauthorised Version – [do not even approach or take any part in the way of living of the troublemakers and the guilty. Do not be led or guided, or go on your own accord towards the way of life and action of the ethically wicked and disagreeable.]
PRAYER: Father, thank you for today. Help me please to see, know, and maintain, healthy boundaries in all my living. Thank you.
I so love feedback – please do scroll down and use a few moments to bless me?
Hi Ps Allan ; thx u for God words; in our Christian life some decisions we do unfortunately not going well bcos ; we don’t asking to amazing father the direction ; i saw in my own family ; the consequences sometimes the are very painful
But in my opinion I said better do the right .
thing..
Thx u
God bless
Thanks Allan. What a beautiful thought… creating for ourselves a lifestyle of intimacy with the Holy Spirit. When we do just that, when our everyday focus is to develop intimacy with Jesus, staying off those wrong paths becomes easier and we become so much more aware of His promptings . It’s a daily challenge to choose intimacy with the Holy Spirit before anything else….. but it’s vital and that choice has the potential to change everything….
To focus is to be intentional. In an age of digital screens and working overtime, we can be so easily distracted and then make poor choices. That intimacy with the Holy Spirit will help us stay the path. Thanks for the reminder x
Thank you Pastor Allan. I can imagine a beautiful Christian tv series being created with your life experiences. It will be a blessing to so many 🙂
In hindsight, hasty decisions without the Holy Spirit always has dire consequences for me, especially in my finances. So that over time I have accumulated debt that needs paying off. I would say instant gratification can lead to dissatisfaction. I am grateful for God’s grace and favor that He provides for my needs, despite my foolish nature. Today’s message is a good reminder to follow rules, but it also highlights injustice as you’ve illustrated in your story Pastor Allan. I believe God sees everything and will always correct the injustices in our lives.
I love this…. just follow the instructions & develop intimacy with the Holy Spirit.
I do like that you kept your wooden box
Love your strength and wisdom thought. Thank you for the reminder to remain focused so important.
Develop a lifestyle of intimacy with The Holy Spirit. Such beautiful encouragement. It is there we are able to do all things in Him.
Thank you Ps Allan for sharing your experience and story with us all.
It’s so good to hear your story from 1971 as I wasn’t even born yet lol.
I love how you kept that wooden box for many years.
I love your strength thought- Discipline and Focus as a theme dynamic have boundaries that help your concentration.
This message is a reminder to make Jesus the centre of our lives and listen to His voice before we are influenced by others or make wrong choices, with dire consequences. It is easy to be led astray, but intimacy with the Holy Spirit will lead us along the right path.
Great word Allan . Your paper run story is so many memories for you and a powerful story to share. I love that you still have that box .
The warnings apply to the small decisions and the big decisions in our lives as to letting the evil one into our lives.
. I am so grateful for the holy spirits leading and words over me
Thanks Pastor Allan for another life experience. No wonder you have such a depth of knowledge & understanding to draw on.
Making the Holy Spirit my very best friend & confidente is a very wise decision for He is my greatest companion teacher guide & comforter. He reveals Father God & Jesus to me so developing intimacy with Him & heeding his leading away from the paths of wickedness can change the course of my life in a very positive way. This obviously takes time & discipline to cultivate but has great reward. How blessed I count myself to have the Holy Spirit so close living within me to teach me truth & the ways of righteousness.
Read the bible pray everyday.
Pray everyday pray everyday.
Sung this as a kid. So important to grow in intimacy with God everyday
Thank you so much for sharing this!
I am in awe of all that you have gleaned in real life. Pennies,Pounds, those of us like me is educational.
Thank you.
Pastor Alan all the old memories started flooding bac, the paper rounds Christmas carols (2 earn sum money 💰), walking down dark road at 6am and making sure there were no stray dogs around😂👍🏾, pastor Alan u hav lived a Full life that I find soooo enjoyable 👏🏽👍🏾
To develop intimacy with the holy spirit
So we are able to make wise choices for our life,so we stay the course and walk the path he intends for us.
Thank you pastor Aalan