The
Narrow Street and the Wide Alley
“My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.” — Proverbs 1:10
There
once lived a young man named Jadon, the only son of a widow who worked
tirelessly to provide for him. Their little house stood at the point where the
city’s main road split into two: a narrow street paved with old cobblestones
and shaded by fig trees, and a wide alley that ran straight into the bustling
marketplace.
The
narrow street was peaceful. It twisted through gardens, past a tiny synagogue,
and ended on the hill where shepherds grazed their flocks. Jadon’s mother often
said, “This is the road where honest feet walk.”
But
the wide alley was different. It glittered with distractions—loud laughter,
traveling merchants, shouting gamblers, and men whose eyes shifted like the
wind. Jadon felt its pull every day.
The
Enticing Voices
One
bright afternoon, as Jadon prepared to go to his apprenticeship at the potter’s
workshop, a group of older youths from the marketplace called out to him.
“Jadon!
Come with us. You’re wasting your strength on clay and mud. There is quicker
money to be made.”
Jadon
hesitated. He recognized them—Barak, Lior, and the twins, Adin and Eliab. They
were known for their flashy clothing and sudden wealth. Yet no one quite
understood how they earned it.
“We’re
going on an adventure,” Lior said with a grin. “A merchant from Tyre passes
through tonight with heavy bags. He walks alone. We will frighten him a little,
take what he does not need, and share it among ourselves.”
Jadon
stepped back.
“That
is robbery!” he said.
Barak
laughed.
“Robbery?
No. It is opportunity. Look at us—do we look poor? And no one ever catches us.
Besides, the rich lose nothing by losing a little.”
Adin
added slyly, “Come once. Only once. You will taste wealth, freedom, excitement.
Be a man, Jadon. Don’t remain a timid potter’s boy.”
Jadon
felt heat rush to his face. Their words struck his pride like arrows. “Why
should they have all the adventure?” he thought. “Why should my life be so
plain? And Mother will never know if I return before nightfall.”
The
enticement was subtle, wrapped in friendship, adventure, and the illusion of
harmless gain.
A
Mother’s Warning Remembered
Just
then, a memory flashed before him—his mother sitting by the lamp the night his
father died, holding Jadon's hands and saying:
“My
son, evil men hunt with words. They promise gain, but they lay snares for their
own blood. Walk the narrow street, not the wide alley. It leads to peace.”
Her
voice echoed in his heart now.
But
the voices of the youths were louder.
“Come,
Jadon,” Eliab urged. “Only tonight.”
“Only
tonight,” Jadon whispered to himself. “What harm could one night do?”
And
so, he followed them—down the wide alley.
The
Path of Darkness
They
moved through the city until they reached the old vineyard near the eastern
road. The sun had dipped, and shadows stretched like long fingers.
Barak
pointed to a spot behind a low stone wall.
“We
wait here.”
Jadon’s
heart thumped. He wanted to run home, but mockery from the others kept him
rooted.
A
faint jingling sound approached—coins clinking inside cloth bags. It was the
merchant.
“Now!”
Barak whispered.
But
something unexpected happened: the merchant didn’t walk alone. Two guards
stepped out from the dark, swords drawn.
“Thieves!”
one shouted.
Barak
and the others scattered like startled birds. Jadon froze, unable to move.
The
second guard grabbed him by the arm.
“You’re
coming with us.”
The
Turning Point
Jadon
was dragged before the city magistrate. Barak and his friends were nowhere to
be found—they had faithfully enticed him into danger but fled when trouble
came.
The
magistrate looked at Jadon sternly.
“You
are young. This is your first offense. You will work in the city granary for
three months as punishment.”
Jadon
bowed his head in shame.
The
Lesson Learned
Early
the next morning, Jadon returned home. His mother was waiting at the doorway,
tears in her eyes—not from anger, but from relief.
She
wrapped him in her arms.
“My
son,” she whispered, “I warned you of this. Sinners lure with honey but leave
you to eat dust.”
Jadon
nodded.
“I
followed the wrong path. I chose the wide alley.”
His
mother took his hand and pointed to the narrow street.
“Walk
here, Jadon. Even if it costs you comfort. Even if others mock you. The narrow
path is not easy, but it keeps your soul intact.”
From
that day, Jadon never again walked the wide alley without remembering that one
night—when he nearly lost everything for empty promises.
Barak
and his companions? Within a year, two were imprisoned, one fled the city, and
one was found injured in a brawl over stolen goods.
But
Jadon stayed faithful in his work at the potter’s house. Years later, he became
a master craftsman known for integrity and skill. The narrow street, once
ordinary and quiet, became for him a path of blessing.
Moral
of the Parable
The
lure of sinful company is always disguised as quick gain, excitement, or
belonging—but it leads to destruction. Those who entice you cannot save you
when trouble comes.
Choose
the narrow path of wisdom, even when it seems slower.
“My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou
not.” — Proverbs 1:10 (KJV)
Reflection
Proverbs
1:10–19 paints a vivid picture of how temptation works. Sin rarely arrives
looking dangerous; it comes through friendly voices, persuasive reasoning, and
promises of quick gain. The passage warns us that evil companionship is not
merely wrong—it is destructive. Those who entice us do not walk with us in
danger; they abandon us when trouble comes. Their path is a trap set for
themselves; the same net they spread to catch others ultimately entangles their
own feet.
Solomon
speaks with the tenderness of a father and the urgency of a watchman: “Consent
thou not.”
He
does not say temptation will not come. It will—through friends, culture,
opportunity, or pressure. But the power lies in our choice. To “consent not” is
to draw a boundary in the heart before the hour of testing arrives.
The
message is simple yet profound:
The
company you keep shapes the destiny you walk toward.
Application
1.
Identify Voices of Influence:
Ask yourself—who are the people influencing
my decisions? Do they draw me toward integrity or toward compromise?
2.
Pre-decide Your Boundaries:
Don’t wait until temptation knocks. Set
moral boundaries now: “By God’s grace, I will not walk with those who pull me
away from righteousness.”
3.
Recognize the False Promises of Sin:
Sin offers excitement, gain, or
belonging—but these are illusions. The price is always higher than the benefit.
4.
Walk the Narrow Path Intentionally:
Choosing the narrow path may seem slow or
lonely at times, but it leads to peace, growth, and God’s favor.
5.
Distance Yourself from Destructive Company:
Loving people does not mean joining them in
wrongdoing. You can care for someone without walking their path.
Prayer
Heavenly
Father,
Thank
You for the wisdom of Your Word that warns me before danger comes. Help me
recognize the voices that entice me toward sin. Give me strength to say “no”
when temptation whispers and courage to walk the path of integrity even when it
feels difficult or lonely. Surround me with godly influences and give me
discernment to step away from harmful company. Guard my heart, my choices, and
my steps. Let my life honor You in every decision I make.
In
Jesus’ name,
Amen.
