Day 17 — Dares and Danger

“The prudent see danger and take cover, but the simple keep going and suffer the consequences.”

— Proverbs 22:3 (BSB)

“I dare you.”

Those three words have gotten a lot of guys into a lot of trouble. Jump off the roof. Ride your bike down that huge hill with no brakes. Eat that. Try this. Film it and post it.

Many guys, especially as they grow up, love adventure and risk. That can be a good thing! God made a lot of guys brave and adventurous. It’s part of what helped David fight Goliath and Jonathan climb the cliff.

But there’s a big difference between courage and foolishness.

Proverbs puts it simply: “The prudent see danger and take cover, but the simple keep going and suffer the consequences.”

Prudent means wise and careful. The prudent guy looks ahead. He sees where something is going, and he stops before it’s too late. The simple guy doesn’t think. He just keeps going, and then he gets hurt, gets in trouble, or hurts someone else.

Here are some kinds of danger a prudent young man watches out for:

• Stupid stunts. Things that could get you seriously hurt, just to look cool or get views online.
• Online challenges. Some viral “challenges” have hurt or even killed kids. If it could hurt you, don’t do it.
• Things that harm your body. Vaping, smoking, alcohol and drugs. Some kids start trying these at your age. Decide now that you won’t.
• Weapons. Never touch a gun or weapon without a responsible adult, and tell an adult if you ever find one.
• Secret plans. If you’d need to hide it from your parents, that’s a warning sign.

Being prudent isn’t being scared. It takes more courage to say, “No, that’s dumb,” than to go along with a dare. The truly brave guy is the one who can think for himself.

There are lots of good adventures to be had: climbing, camping, building things, playing hard, trying new sports, serving on a mission trip. Save your courage for the things that are worth it.

Think about it: Have you ever done something risky because someone dared you? What happened, or what could have happened?

Try this: Make a list of good adventures you’d like to try. Talk with your parents about which ones you could do this year.

Dear God, thank You for making me brave. Help me be prudent too: to see danger and take cover, and to say no to foolish dares. Help me save my courage for the adventures that are worth it. In Jesus’ name, Amen.