My sons and my son-in-law are great fishermen. They love to get away, through a line in the water, and wait for a bite. But I have a problem. I don’t enjoy waiting. They tell me after you’ve found the right bait, you will find yourself waiting and waiting for the fish to take the bait. More often than not, if you’ve got the right bait, placed in the right place, at the right time, you’ll get a bite.
But as I think about that scenario, temptation is like that. Something shiny and new is dangled in front of you. The timing might come right after a disappointing conversation and you might find yourself isolated, away from watchful eyes. Bam! You take the bait. Or how about this. You find yourself in a difficult conversation with a spouse or co-worker. They seem to be “egging you on”, “pushing your buttons”, or “messing with you.” DON’T TAKE THE BAIT. Don’t take the bait. Just smile, change the subject, or walk away.
“Discretion is the better part of valor.” The line comes from Shakespeare’s play, Henry IV Part 1, Act V Scene 4. It’s spoken by Shakespeare’s popular knight, Sir John Falstaff. It means that it will ultimately be to YOUR disadvantage to take the bait. Proverbs 20:3 says “It is to one’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.”