14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. 15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. 16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall. 17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. 18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. 19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

Children, Shun Sin

Listen to the adamant language Solomon uses. Proverbs 4:14-17 Don’t enter the path of the wicked, don’t walk in the way with evil men. 15 Avoid that patch, don’t even pass by it, turn from it, and walk away. 16 Evil men don’t go to sleep until they have hurt others, they can’t sleep unless they cause someone to fall. 17 The wicked eat wickedness for bread and drink violence for wine. It is their sustenance and nourishment.

Then Solomon gives a stunning contrast, one that can’t be more vivid in showing the extreme difference between wisdom and wickedness. Here he says is the path you should walk, Proverbs 4:18-19 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. (But) 19 The way of the wicked is as darkness (thick impenetrable blackness, like a night with no moon and a fog that conceals the stars): they know not at what they stumble.

Dad’s Duty: Warn The Ones You Love

There are many wicked, sinful, destructive, terrifying things in this world that want to groom your children and then drag them down the darkest paths or pain and regret that can be found in this world. The only darker paths will only be found in hell itself.

Dads, you got to warn your children about those paths. Brother Russ preached on this while I was gone Matthew 7:13-14 13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

The Lord Jesus warns us of the world’s wide gate, of sins broad way. Those paths are wide because they are popular, sin is always popular, but those paths lead to destruction, both in this life and in the next. One of the duties of a Dad is to warn your family of the popular path and the destruction that is their destination and point to the gate that is small and the path that is narrow, because at the end of that path is life, a full life now and an eternal life when it ends.