Proverbs 25:26
Like a trampled spring and a polluted well
is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.

What good is a spring of water if it’s all muddied up? What good is a well that is polluted with garbage? What good is a Christian if he lives wickedly amongst the wicked?

In ancient days, water was precious; it was a source of life. Where water was, there you would find life. Plants flourish beside it, animals flock to it, and humans come to draw from it. But what happens if the spring of water is trampled upon or the well becomes polluted? It is no longer a source of life but becomes a source of sickness, disease, and death.

“…behold, with the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water that is in the Nile, and it shall turn into blood. The fish in the Nile shall die, and the Nile will stink, and the Egyptians will grow weary of drinking water from the Nile.
(Exodus 7:17-18)

“The third angel sounded, and a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of waters. The name of the star is called Wormwood; and a third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the waters, because they were made bitter.”
(Revelations 8:10-11)

Like a trampled spring and a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked. The Christian who gives way to the wicked becomes the same source of sickness, disease, and death as does the trappled spring and polluted well. He is no longer the source of life in the presence of death, no longer the example of Godliness amongst the ungodly, no longer the light in darkness. Jesus says if salt becomes tasteless its useless! (Luke 14:34-35) I submit that the Christian who gives way to the wicked also becomes useless.

Instead, may we be the spring of living water that leads to eternal life. The living water that they drink and never have to first again. Jesus was life in the presence of death, Jesus was the example of Godliness amongst the ungodly, Jesus was the light in darknes. May we be like our Lord Jesus and stand opposite of this wicked world.

By the grace of God, may we stand firm before the wicked and not give way before them!

John 4:13-15
13Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; 14but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” 15The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw.”

Ryan Whitson