To The Slaughter

"She seizes him and kisses him, and with bold face she says to him, 'I had to offer sacrifices, and today I have paid my vows; so now I have come out to meet you, to seek you eagerly, and I found you. I have spread my couch with coverings, colored linens from Egyptian linen; I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Come, let us take our fill of live till morning; let us delight ourselves with love. For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey; he took a bag of money with him; at full moon he will come home.' With much seductive speech she persuades him. All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast till an arrow pierces its liver; as a bird rushes into a snare; he does not know that it will cost him his life" (Proverbs 7:13-23).

It seems that our young friend is caught by surprise by the wayward woman. There's no reason he should have been surprised. He deliberately traveled that road. Not sure what he was expecting to find around that next corner.

Regardless, she grabs him, kisses him, and then proceeds to seduce him. Her hypocrisy is found in her religious activities followed by her seductive activities. This brings us to our first lesson of the day... don't be a hypocrite. Simply put, we are to live what we believe. This will solve the hypocrisy issue that far too many people struggle with. But there are more lessons in today's passage.

Lessons such as, beware of seductive speech... perfume covered sin still stinks... "you won't get caught" is a lie... sin leads to "imprisonment" and ultimately "death."

Those imprisoned to sin are trapped in a destructive lifestyle that only brings hurt and destruction. Death to dreams, relationships, intimacy, marriages, friendships, hopes, and "life to the full" is the ultimate result of being as dumb as an ox that is led to the slaughter.

Which brings us to one last lesson... sin will always take you to the slaughter house. No amount of perfume can make that truth smell better!