Quad Safety Valves

(Proverbs 4:15 KJV)  Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.

The “it” in this verse is the path of evil and evil men.  If you want to walk that way you are not reading this.  Solomon suggests four strategies to use if your desire is to live a righteous life.  Some can be matters of habit, others are results of focus and discipline.  Habits can be established with repetition.

It could be that the first advice is a summary of the next three.  “Avoid” (6544a) evil.  Then there are three strategies to avoiding.  You avoid something by staying away.  When I go to the grocery store I have learned to never go down the aisle that has the Cheesits.  I am better off if I don’t need to fight the temptation.  If by mistake I find myself approaching those distinctive red and yellow boxes I can “turn” (7847) around and go back the way I came.  If it is too late I can just “pass” (5674a) the threat.  Last time I heard, boxes of snack crackers do not jump off the shelf and attack shoppers.  I could be wrong on that.

So?  I have four steps.  Any one of them will keep me where I want to be.  They will not take themselves.  They require my cooperation.  The box is in our court.