The Way We Go Matters

“The righteous [is] more excellent than his neighbour: but the way of the wicked seduceth them.” (Pr 12:26 AV)

This proverb can be taken slightly different in two ways.  First, the righteous, with the intention of teaching and guiding the wicked, is more excellent in his choices than the wicked neighbors by which he dwells.  The first way in which it could be understood is the general futility of trying to affect the world around you because the world around you is naturally bent toward sin.  The second manner is which it is understood is a matter of simple observation.  The righteous are righteous because they are not wicked.  They walk excellently as compared to the wicked.  The wicked are so because they walk in such a way that their way is a seduction into wickedness.  Either way, Solomon intends to make a distinction between those who walk excellently and those who do not.  Those who do not are seduced into sin because of their pattern of life.  Those who are righteous are so because they are habitually excellent.  It is ‘the way’ that is the problem.  Because they are neighbors, both the excellent way and ‘the way’ that seduces are equally available to either the righteous or the wicked.  The righteous are in close proximity to the way of the wicked and vice versa.  ‘The way’ in which they choose to go determines righteousness or wickedness.

My wife and I have visited come interesting and quaint places over the years.  I don’t remember everything, but I remember little things.  Many years ago, we were in a mall that had cobblestone floors.  The theme was an olde world theme.  The storefronts looked like they could be in a centuries old European village.  We were doing some window shopping, and an aroma caught our senses.  Not knowing exactly what it was, we decided we would make our way to where it was coming from.  Along the way, we went into several stores and browsed around.  As we worked our way through the ‘streets’, the aroma was getting stronger and stronger.  It was also becoming more refined.  We could pick out distinct aromas that didn’t normally go together. We could smell cooking beef, pizza, and funnel cakes.  Because we were on a tight budget, we knew that eating at this mall was not going to happen, but the smells were alluring.  Even though we could smell these distinct aromas, there was still one that was overpowering and attracting.  We could smell coffee.  But that wasn’t it.  We could smell the roasting nuts, but that wasn’t it either.  Not in a rush to find out what it was, we continued to inch our way toward that delectable smell.  We ducked into a purse store.  Then, a stationery store.  Eventually we found the source and nature of the aroma.  It was coming from a confectionary store of high-end chocolates.  Knowing the sugar high would give me a headache, I should have passed.  But alas, I was seduced.  Why?  Because I was in a place to be seduced.

I think a good portion of sin could be avoided if we simply chose to be in a different place or doing something different.  Where we allow ourselves to be or what we allow ourselves to be doing plays a large part in whether we make righteous choices or wicked ones.  If we know that a particular type of entertainment is more likely to contain images or ideas that will lead us to sinful thoughts or actions, we should probably forego watching it in the first place.  If we know that an app or website may contain advertisements that might stir in us wrong thoughts or desires, it is probably wise to avoid it.  The word excellent doesn’t mean merely better than an alternative.  Excellent means without error or even the potential of it.  Excellent means containing no impurities.  The righteous choose to avoid the common, profane, or potentially impure.  The way is excellent because they choose the best.  So, too, should the child of God.  He should choose the excellent way.  Not the acceptable way.