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Sirach 8:10. "Do not kindle the coals of a sinner, lest you be burned in his flaming fire."

 

This is good advice, obviously, but two things occur to me as reasons I don't always abide by it. First, "The sinners are much more fun." I mean, they really are! I'm not talking about hardcore sinners, God love them, but the more socially acceptable ones. My natural tendencies lead me to this kind of sin myself, like having too many glasses of wine at times, or sometimes going to far in my speech when joking around. The sins aren't horrible, but they form me, and can lead to much worse if I fail to see the wrong in what I am doing. So I have learned to step back from certain things or situations, not because they are bad, but because they are hidden "coals" for me - they can kindle my sinful tendencies. 
 

My second reason for not always following Sirach's advice is that, I don't always know what other people's "coals" are. We all have different tendencies, and sometimes things that are just fine for me are another's "near occasion of sin." I don't know how to avoid these, other than stopping my behavior around or suggestions to someone once I realize that he or she may fall into temptation through them. For example, I should try to cease engaging on social media with someone who spends too much time on it, or not invite a friend to go shopping when she has a tendency to overspend.

 

Sirach gives some great advice here just on its face, but he also provides a prompt to really evaluate how and when we may be allowing our coals to be kindled, or may be kindling others.