Don't Go There!

"For at the window of my house I have looked out through my lattice, and I have seen among the simple, I have perceived among the youths, a young man lacking sense, passing along the street near her corner, taking the road to her house in the twilight, in the evening, at the time of night and darkness" (Proverbs 7:6-9).

When my children were younger, I told them not to play in the street. I was afraid they would get hit by a car. I told them "no playing in the street" because I loved them and wanted them to be protected. My simple message to them was, "Don't go there!" I think they thought I was trying to cheat them out of some real fun.

The reason I think they thought I was trying to spoil their fun is because one of them immediately started strolling toward the street. With one eye on me, the sweet little child moved farther and farther away from me while inching closer and closer to the curb. Once he got to the curb, he stopped and looked right at me. He then very deliberately swung his foot out over the street. He never actually got in the street, he just got as close as he could.

Solomon writes in today's passage that he watched as a senseless youth moved closer and closer to the adulteress' house. His movement was calculated and deliberate. There were so many times he was told, "Don't go there!" and yet he did. It seemed he found it easier to go that direction the darker it got. Was he hoping his actions would not be noticed once the sun went down?

As we continue our study of Proverbs 7, we will find that the senseless youth ends up being compared to an ox going to slaughter. His deliberate path took him to the place of a brutal butchering.

Today's message is simple: Don't go there! And the moral of the story is even more simple: If you are nowhere near the slaughterhouse, you will not get slaughtered.

Family And Friends

"Say to wisdom, 'You are my sister,' and call insight your intimate friend, to keep you from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words" (Proverbs 7:4-5).

It sometimes takes family and friends to help us through difficult times in life. When it comes to the temptation of the "forbidden woman," we are to also look to our family and friends.

In this Proverb, we are told to call wisdom our "sister" and insight our "friend." In the real world of sexual temptation, wisdom and insight are our family and friend. Because a sister is considered an intimate relationship, the Old Testament sometimes uses "sister" as a synonym for wife. You can find examples of this in the Song of Solomon.

It is, therefore, good for us to keep wisdom as close as a wife or sister as we face the smooth and tempting words of the adulteress. Just as important is our closeness to insight or understanding. We must be intimate friends with understanding if we want to avoid the trap of sexual sin.

How intimate are you with wisdom? Are you as close to wisdom as you are your own sister? That positive relationship could be what keeps you from the negative relationship associated with adultery. How intimate are you with insight or understanding? Are you as close to insight as you are to a best friend?

In the end, our closeness with our family and friend (wisdom and insight) could be the difference between overcoming or falling to temptation.

The Apple Of Your Eye?

"My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you; keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye; bind them on you fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart" (Proverbs 7:1-3).

Wisdom guards a person's whole life. To illustrate the need to have wisdom impact a person's whole life, Solomon encourages his son to engage his "eye," "fingers," and "heart." What we see, touch, and emotionally attach ourselves to really does matter. To write truth on our hearts is to internalize that truth. The heart is all about our insides. Guarding our hearts starts with what we look at.

Lust begins with the eye. That which we see and are attracted to, we want. It is how our flesh operates. But again, not all that we want is meant to be ours. That is why we have to be careful what we look at. There is a temptation to want it all and then do whatever it takes to have it.

There is a progression that can be deadly. We see it with our eye... we grab for it with our fingers... and then we embrace it with our hearts. If that progression is allowed to happen in the context of our sexuality, it can destroy our lives.

It is important that we experience that progression with what is true and good. Solomon calls on his son to keep his teaching in clear view, to grab hold of truth with his fingers, and to emotionally attach himself to what is right.

What is the apple of your eye today? Whatever it is, be aware of the progression that follows. You will eventually grab for it and then you will emotionally attach yourself to it. So I ask you again, what is the apple of your eye?

Wounds And Dishonor

"People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his appetite when he is hungry, but if he is caught, he will pay sevenfold; he will give all the goods of his house. He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself. Wounds and dishonor will he get, and his disgrace will not be wiped away. For jealousy makes a man furious, and he will not spare when he takes revenge. He will accept no compensation; he will refuse though you multiply gifts" (Proverbs 6:30-35).

When we compare and contrast the man who steals bread and the man who steals a wife, we learn some very important lessons. There seems to be sympathy for the man you steals bread to feed himself and his family. Though the man will be rightly punished for stealing bread, he is not despised. There are no lasting social wounds for such a man.

However, the man who steals a wife suffers wounds and dishonor as he faces public disgrace. These things are, by the way, self inflicted wounds. It is the adulterer who destroys himself. Yes, the jealous husband takes revenge, but the man who stole his wife is the one who owns the ultimate disgrace. This is a disgrace out of which he cannot buy his way.

Both the man you steals bread and the man who steals a wife must pay for their actions. While one may garner sympathy, the other does not. In order to avoid such public and permanent disgrace, as brought on by adultery, a person must live wisely. If not, wounds and dishonor will be his without end.

Being Burned

"Can a man carry fire next to his chest and his clothes not be burned? Or can one walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched? So is he who goes in to his neighbor's wife; none who touches her will go unpunished" (Proverbs 6:27-28).

The answer to both questions is, "No!" A man can't carry fire and not get burned nor can he walk on hot coals not be scorched. In both cases, injury is sustained. Mess with fire and you get burned. Mess with the bull and you get gored. While it is as simple as that, many people still play with fire and taunt bulls.

A fire in a fireplace is a wonderful thing. It is warm, inviting, cosy, and pleasant. A fire in a forest is disastrous. It is damaging, hurtful, dangerous, and out of control. It is very much the same way with sex. Inside the context of marriage, sex is a wonderful, warm, inviting, cosy, and pleasant experience. Outside of marriage, it is hurtful, dangerous, and damaging.

Thus the repeated warnings in Proverbs. Just as there are consequences associated with our contact with fire, there are consequences for our involvement with adultery. In both cases, people get burned.

If none of us wish to be burned by the consequences of sexual sin, then we must be committed to the marriage vows we made in front of family, friends, and God. If not, we will end up being burned. We will ended up doing a lot of damage.

Left With Crumbs

"Do not desire her beauty in your heart, and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes; for the price of a prostitute is only a loaf of bread, but a married woman hunts down a precious life" (Proverbs 6:25-26).

The Proverbs not only offer ample warning against destructive behavior, they line out the real life consequences for that behavior. Immorality comes with a high price. Whether a man succumbs to sexual sin with a prostitute or a married woman, it will cost him.

Today's passage tells us that a man will be left with only a loaf of bread as a result of spending his money for sex. The lifestyle described here can lead a man to utter poverty. In some cases, men lose their jobs due to their sexual sin, adding to the chance of utter poverty. Thus the warning!

In some cases, the married woman he involves himself with becomes vengeful and seeks to destroy his life. Does the movie Fatal Attraction come to mind?

It is better to heed the warnings of Scripture than to suffer the consequences of sin. If not, a person may be forced to leave the banquet table of love only to be left with the crumbs of lust.

A Lamp's Light

"When you walk, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk with you. For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life, to preserve you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress" (Proverbs 6:22-24).

The threefold benefit of the father's commandments are laid out in today's passage. The promise is given regarding the guidance, protection, and instruction provided by his teaching. The result of embracing the teaching of the father is that one is led in the right direction while active, protected while at rest, and instructed while alert and listening.

All of this comes from the illumination of truth. The commands of God, delivered through one's parents, are a lamp for one's journey. Even when we are corrected by God's Word, we are not to shrink back. We are told that "reproofs of discipline" are the way of life.

Again, the warning to listen, discern, and obey instruction is tied to sexual purity. The illuminating truth offered by the father is contrasted by the "smooth tongue" of the adulteress. It once again comes down to which voice we choose to listen. One voice leads to life and the other to destruction. One voice is a voice of "light" while the other is of darkness. We must choose carefully which voice we listen to every moment of every day.

Heart Bound

"My son, keep your father's commandment, and forsake not your mother's teaching. Bind them around your heart always; tie them around your neck" (Proverbs 6:20-21).

As an adult, I've looked back on my childhood many times and wished that I had listened better to my parents. I wish I had followed their direction and advice. Parental wisdom, I now know, is actually worth quite a bit. If only I had listened, I would have saved myself a lot of heartache.

Parents have something children don't have... wisdom! Parents have "been around the block" enough to have gained valuable insight into life's many twists and turns. Godly parents who know the commandments of God know that to obey those commandments brings protection and provision in life.

There is a tremendous need for children to learn and obey God's commands. The word pictures used to help us grasp this is a "heart" and a "neck." To bind parental commands (presumably derived from the Word of God) upon one's heart is to internalize those commands. It is to take them in to one's life by way of appropriation. To tie them around one's neck is to keep them close enough to always remember them. To be around one's neck is to be visible. In other words, we are told to hide God's commands in our hearts while we keep them visible around our necks.

Wisdom is needed in order to live life to its greatest potential. Wisdom directs and warns while guiding and providing. Parental wisdom, derived from God's Word, is to be bound to our hearts and tied to our necks. If only I had believed that when I was younger!

The Broken Seven

"There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers" (Proverbs 6:16-19).

The six-seven pattern used to list things is fairly common in the Bible. It is used in Job as well as several other Proverbs. The list "plus one" is not used in order to give a complete list but rather the emphasize the final entry to the list. In other words, the seventh thing listed is the product of the first six.

In today's passage, Solomon is describing the fruits of the wicked man's life. The life that man leads is marked by pride, the telling of lies, shedding of innocent blood (murder), a heart that maps out wicked actions, and feet that run quickly to that which is evil. Telling lies, by the way, is listed twice for emphasis. These six things cause discord among brothers. All of these things cause suspicion among friends. They all come together to ruin relationships. Death to unity is the spoiled fruit of sin.

The wise man will allow his life to be tested against these six... seven things. The courage it takes to stand in front of God's spiritual mirror comes straight from God Himself. It is important that we all allow His Spirit to illuminate the truth regarding our pride, evil thoughts and intentions, the words we speak, and the plans that we make.

If we do not allow this kind of spiritual inspection, our lives will be the source of great discord. Relationships will be ruined and unity will be destroyed. The Scripture describes the broken seven traits of ungodly living. These broken seven, we are told, God hates.

Crossed Fingers

"A worthless person, a wicked man, goes about with crooked speech, winks with his eyes, signals with his feet, points with his finger, with perverted heart devises evil, continually sowing discord; therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in a moment he will be broken beyond healing" (Proverbs 6:12-15).

The worthless and wicked person are one in the same. The verbs in this passage are singular so we know Solomon is talking about one scoundrel here. Someone is worthless when they live apart from God's design for their life. Their life is marked by lies and deceit. Their whole body indicates deception. Winks and signals give them away. It's much like when I was a child as I would cross my fingers while making a promise. With fingers crossed, no promise could stick. Or at least that is what I would claim after the fact.

There is no wisdom in deception. The perverted heart is foolish and thus out of it comes perversion of the truth. The perverted heart stirs up dissension and thus destroys unity within community. The warning is clear; calamity follows such foolishness.

To avoid such brokenness of life, one must speak truthfully and work toward harmony. Promises made must be promises kept or else a tragic end to relationships and community follow. The solution is found in speaking truth from a pure heart. Unity is experienced when everyone involved stops winking, signaling, and pointing one direction while speaking toward another. That is called crooked speech and the consequences for that are devastating.

Laziness Doesn't Pay

"How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man" (Proverbs 6:9-11).

Continuing to encourage wisdom in everyday life, Solomon prods the sluggard to get out of bed. Simply put, sleeping the day away instead of working leads to poverty. Poverty is mentioned quite a bit in Proverbs and is something that can and should be avoided by hard work.

As typical humans who have been affected by a natural bent toward sin, we all have it in us to compromise. We have it in us to make excuses. We ask ourselves, "What harm is in a little slumber and a little sleep? What's wrong with a little folding of the hands?" The problem with some people is that "a little" isn't really a little. It's just their way of excusing themselves from hard work. They're lazy!

The result of laziness is poverty and want that strike as suddenly as an armed robber. Just as the armed robber strikes his unsuspecting victim quickly, so does poverty.

Wisdom calls on us to get out of bed and to start working. She calls us to stop loafing. Wisdom tells us to renounce laziness and thus avoid poverty. To be clear, Proverbs speaks wisdom into the life of those who can work but won't, while speaking wisdom into the life of those who can work to help those who can't. Both are very real biblical realities.

Learn From The Ant

"Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest" (Proverbs 6:6-8).

Anyone who is lazy or irresponsible is challenged to learn from the ant. There is great wisdom in doing so. The industrious ant is a great role model for those who are not hard workers. The hard working ant does not have a boss to direct, a ruler to poke and prod, or an overseer that inspects her work.

The ant, with no boss, works harder and better than some people who have a boss. It is the ant who can teach us to be motivated and prepared. The ant shows us how to work, while it is still warm, in such a way as to be prepared for the winter. This means good workers work in anticipation of future needs.

Wisdom is not about being busy but rather being ready. Wisdom tells us to think ahead and to prepare, through hard work, for the future. It is the wise person who works hard without being told to do so.

Gazelle Intensity

"My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, have given your pledge for a stranger, if you are snared in the words of your mouth, caught in the words of your mouth, then do this, my son, and save yourself, for you have come into the hand of your neighbor: go, hasten, and plead urgently with your neighbor. Give your eyes no sleep and your eyelids no slumber; save yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the hand of the fowler" (Proverbs 6:1-5).

I think I now know where Dave Ramsey got the phrase, "gazelle intensity." He uses that phrase to describe the intensity needed to get out of debt. Today's passage is a specific warning against co-signing for someone else's debt. To "put up security" for a friend or a "pledge" for a stranger is to go into debt with them.

Being snared by the words of your mouth is all about taking out a loan with a promise to repay. It is a verbal signing on the dotted line. But the problem is that when a person does that, he puts himself in a financial situation in which he has no control.

The encouragement is to not let another night pass without setting out to make things right. To this end, Dave Ramsey offers seven "baby steps" that are to be carried out with gazelle like intensity. These steps are as follows:

1. Build an emergency fund of $1000

2. Pay off all debt with "the debt snowball"

3. Save 3 to 6 months of expenses

4. Invest 15% of income into Roth IRAs and Pre-Tax retirement plans

5. Start saving for your children's college

6. Pay off your home early

7. Build wealth and give!

You can learn more about this by visiting www.daveramsey.com

The decision to not co-sign for someone is made in an instant. The decision to cut up credit cards can happen in the twinkling of an eye. To get out of debt takes longer. It can't happen overnight. It will take gazelle intensity to be debt free. Only then can you, with great joy, scream, "I'm Debt Free!"

Ensnared

"Why should you be intoxicated, my son, with a forbidden woman and embrace the bosom of an adulteress? For a man's ways are before the eyes of the Lord, and he ponders all his paths. The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him, and he is held fast in the cords of his sin. He dies for lack of discipline, and because of his great folly he is led astray" (Proverbs 5:20-23).

The father's warning to his son is intended to be a life saving event. No one denies that sexual activity is desirous. No one can argue that sex feels good. The father uses the word "intoxicated" on purpose. Sex is awesome.

It is, however, a deadly situation when sex is taken out of the context of God's design. One way to describe the damage is to talk about its addictive power. "The iniquities of the wicked ensnares him" is all about getting trapped in a destructive behavior. Being held fast in the cords of anything is frustrating for anyone who enjoys freedom.

The father warns that death follows the one who lacks discipline. All areas of our life need discipline. Boundaries are not terrible things. When experienced the way God designed it to be experienced, our sexual lives are not about being ensnared but rather freed.