Temptation (post 3) -- Nothin' like helpful friends!

My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait to shed blood; let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause; let us swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole, like those who go down to the Pit; we shall find all kinds of precious possessions, we shall fill our houses with spoil; cast in your lot among us, let us all have one purse” – my son, do not walk in the way with them, keep your foot from their path; for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood. Surely, in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird; but they lie in wait for their own blood, they lurk secretly for their own lives. So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain; it takes away the life of its owners. Proverbs 1:10-19

This admonition is sandwiched between the temptation and the means of being tempted. The fruit passed before the eyes is that of “precious possessions” and a “shared purse.” Look, for just a little bit of your time joining our mob, you will be rewarded with a share in the booty. Elsewhere we are warned in Proverbs that wealth gained quickly will fly away (Proverbs 20:21) or that any sort of deceit (including pillaging other people’s stuff!) is a means of seeking death (Proverbs 21:6). Be ready to be cautious anytime you are presented with a get rich quick or get rich easy scheme. These are aimed at the greedy in heart. At such times, it is well to remember the adage that if it is too good to be true, it probably is.

Also, recognize that the temptation may be doubled or trebled by peer pressure. Here the temptation is presented by “sinners.” Their familiarity echoes in the enticement with pronouns like us and we. This means that this type of temptation is likely to come from folks you think you know better than you do. The encouraged acts may not be as drastic as proposed here, so be on your guard for more subtle group actions that promise something for nothing. Might doesn’t make right, and mobs in general should always be avoided.