04/03/20—Decades ago (don’t ask) I took a business trip to Reno, NV. Some of my meetings were held on the second floor of a casino. Walking a few blocks along the main drag between our hotel and the casino, I saw several scenes which reminded me of the beginning of Psalm 1, which begins “1 How happy is the one who does NOT WALK in the advice of the wicked or STAND in the pathway with sinners or SIT in the company of mockers! 2 Instead, his delight is in the LORD’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night.”

There were a few dark alleys in which groups of not-so-friendly looking men were busily gambling, arguing, fighting, etc. From a “safe distance away,” on different days I watched as men saw the gamblers. They were interested; I saw one after another WALK down the alley to get a closer look. A few stopped to STAND near the action and observe more closely. Finally two or three decided to SIT and join the “fun.” I even noticed a couple of men who lost a great deal of money. They complained so loudly that others in the group began to beat the daylights of them!

SIT, STAND, WALK: that’s the sequence that a babies go through as they make POSITIVE PROGRESS towards growing up. WALK, STAND, SIT: that’s the sequence people go through as they REGRESS into the world of SIN, WORLDINESS, and GODLESSNESS. Psalm 1 ends on an encouraging note, “6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to ruin.“