What does Proverbs 22:25 mean?

Scripture notes that the people we choose to associate with influence our morality (Proverbs 13:20; 1 Corinthians 15:33). Among the more dangerous character flaws is the person who cannot control their temper. Associating with a hot-tempered man may lead to copying his behavior. That can lead directly to all sorts of traps and dangers. It can also mean being caught up in the consequences of that person's sinful choices (Proverbs 29:22).

A "snare" typically refers to the kind of trap used to capture animals, which are then killed. The allusion to becoming entangled in a snare by adopting a hothead's anger and behavior presents an urgent warning to anyone who might consider befriending a "hothead:" a person lacking control of their rage.

Though adults tend to have a more mature perspective on which friends to choose, children and teenagers are especially susceptible to the temptation to choose wrong friends. Peer pressure is extremely strong among youth. Less mature people are more easily lured into friendships that drag them into sin. Perhaps an unwary teenager chooses friends who prey on his sympathy or promise him excitement. After a while, the gullible one finds himself ensnared in an unhealthy relationship. Teenagers and adults need to heed the admonition found in Proverbs 1:10–15: "My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. If they say, 'Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood …' my son, do not walk in the way with them; hold back your foot from their paths."