Becoming Available to Sin

Scripture:
I saw among the inexperienced,
I noticed among the youths,
a young man lacking sense.
Crossing the street near her corner,
he strolled down the road to her house

at twilight, in the evening,

in the dark of the night.
Proverbs 7:7-9

Observation: A man is about to engage in an affair with the wife of another man, and this is how he is introduced. He is naive, young, and without sense. While he doesn't speak and doesn't propose to do anything, he does cross the street to her house at night. From there, she will take all the action, propose what they are to do, where to do it, and discuss how well she has prepared for this moment.

And this was all the man had to do ... make himself available to it. He was naive and thus willing to walk to the wrong place. He did so with intent, crossing a street to get there, and also did so at night. He effectively took all the actions necessary to demonstrate to sin that he was willing, and sin took it from there.

Application: This is, indeed, how sin works. In my foolishness, I just have to be available. I have to go to the wrong place, witness the wrong thing, engage in the wrong conversation. If I ignore my wisdom and do stupid things, sin - in the form of wicked thoughts, inflicted anger, or hurtful actions - is waiting to initiate everything else within me.

The first way to prevent that is clear ... to not place myself into those situations. I need to exercise more wisdom, for I am not a youth. I must not metaphorically cross the street and walk down the road at night. That should not be so difficult to do.

Prayer: Lord, I thank you for this response to prayer, and for your wisdom. May I take your wisdom to heart, and live the life you would have for me by simply not making myself available to sin. Amen.