Wisdom's Banquet

"Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn her seven pillars. She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine; she has also set her table" (Proverbs 9:1-2).

Before the invitations go out to all those in need of wisdom's delights, "Lady Wisdom" sets the scene as well as the table. The scene is a spacious house evidenced by seven pillars. Some Bible scholars have tried to guess the meaning of seven pillars by attributing the number seven to the six days of creation followed by one day of rest. Others have wondered if the seven refers to the sun, moon, and the five planets that were known at that time. When all is said and done, those are just guesses. The seven pillars probably just indicate that wisdom builds a big spacious house.

And yet the house is not meant to be empty. People are invited in. In the next set of verses we will study, we will find that everyone is invited to sit at wisdom's banquet in wisdom's spacious house. She has prepared the meat as well as the wine. The mixing of wine may have something to do with the practice of putting spices in it to enhance the flavor. Psalm 75:8 and Isaiah 5:22 make reference to this practice.

We are encouraged to realize that wisdom's banquet is filling and tasty. The meat of her banquet gives life and the wine gives that life a spicy flavor. If you find you are starving for real food and the spice of life only the Lord offers, be ready to accept "Lady Wisdom's" invitation to her banquet. Her house is large enough for a crowd. She desires you to be one of the many folks who sit at her table.

Neglect

"And now, O sons, listen to me: blessed are those who keep my ways. Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it. Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors. For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord, by he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death" (Proverbs 8:32-36).

It is now wisdom who addresses the sons. She connects listening and blessing three times in alternating order. You are blessed if you listen and if you listen you are blessed. Her plea for the sons to listen is followed by significant promises.

To neglect her plea is to forego the promises being made. To neglect anything leads to its ultimate demise and so wisdom calls on us to avoid the demise of our lives that comes by neglecting her words.

If blessing comes from really hearing and following through with what we are taught by wisdom, we are foolish not to listen. She promises that to listen to her leads us to life as well as to God's favor. Life and favor can be ours if we do not neglect wisdom's words. The Hebrew word for "favor" means "acceptance, goodwill, or approval." It means that the life lived wisely is pleasing to the Lord.

If you truly desire the fullness of life God offers; a life that is pleasing to God, do not neglect wisdom's words. There still remain only two options when it comes to this. We will either enjoy the wonderful way of life that comes to us because we have listened to wisdom, or we will experience the folly of death brought on by neglect. Choose wisely!

A Craftsman

"When he established the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep, when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth, then I was beside him, like a master workman, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always, rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the children of man" (Proverbs 8:27-31).

In a poetic way, Proverbs teaches us that wisdom was a "craftsman" at the side of God when He was creating the world. This attribute of God is personified as a trusted assistant in the Lord's creative work. We are told that the Lord was wise in what He made.

To be "beside" someone is an indication of intimacy. We are to clearly understand that it was not wisdom who designed and created the world but rather God Himself. God wisely designed and created all things.

The results were magnificent. The results of His work caused wisdom to rejoice over the presence of the Lord, His creative work, as well as the children of man.

If we desire such rejoicing in our lives, we must have wisdom at our side. The great craftsman known as "wisdom" must be employed in our work. She must be present with us (beside us) as we live our lives. Simply put, if God involved wisdom in His creative undertakings, surely we mere humans need wisdom as well.

Wisdom Born

"Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth. When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water. Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth, before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust f the world" (Proverbs 8:23-26).

Wisdom was "brought forth" before the universe was created. The picture we are given is of a birth. Before God created the oceans, rivers, mountains, hills, and the dust of the earth, he birthed wisdom. This tells us, "first things first."

That was true then and it is true today. If we desire to explore the depths that life offers; to swim the "oceans" of God's truth, we must have wisdom. If our dream is to cross the "rivers" that block our journey, we must have wisdom. In order to climb to the heights of life's "mountains," wisdom must first be ours. With wisdom the world was created and in wisdom life in the world is to be lived.

Whether you are ready to face life's depths or heights, wisdom must first be yours. Let wisdom be born in your heart today as you experience the life God has given you.

From The Start

"'The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old'" (Proverbs 8:22).

From the start of God's work of creation, wisdom was there. She is personified in today's passage as God's very own wisdom. All that has been accomplished by God, in the past, has been done with wisdom. All that He will ever accomplish will be with wisdom. That is how important she is to us in our current situation.

Her various claims, in the preceding verses of Proverbs 8, are believable once we recognize her place in God's creative work. The Lord possessed wisdom as He created light, planets, stars, and moons. It was through wisdom they were perfectly positioned. It was by His wisdom that He formed plants, animals, minerals, water, and you. Wisdom has an impressive resume. She was there from the start and she is still here. She is ours if we want her.

Our creative work, important decisions, and game changing insights can be born of wisdom if only we will embrace her. Wisdom's history assures us she can impact our present and future. It is never too late for the living to acquire wisdom. She is a gift to those who will receive her. She has been that from the very start of time.

A Truly Fruitful Life

"My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold, and my yield than choice silver. I walk in the way of righteousness, in the paths of justice, granting an inheritance to those who love me, and filling their treasuries" (Proverbs 8:19-21).

Today's passage says that those who love wisdom gain wealth. It is a fact of life that material goods can be replenished with skill and hard work. Keeping one's treasuries full happens as a result of a person's skill which is refined by wisdom. There are many times in Proverbs when Solomon makes generalizations that have exceptions. There are certainly exceptions to this general truth. We all know some very wise and godly people who have not amassed great material wealth.

But we should not feel sorry for them. They have experienced something much more valuable than material wealth. Which brings us to the point.

The point that is being made, in light of one's ability to keep their treasuries full, is that there are benefits in life that are more valuable than fine gold and silver. Wisdom's fruit yields an amazing life; a life walked in the righteousness of God.

This kind of life is truly amazing because it yields benefits that are derived from "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (see Galatians 5:22).

If you want to know if you are truly rich, take a look at what your life is truly yielding. If it is yielding the fruit of God's Spirit, you are truly wealthy. If not, you are indeed poor, even if your natural skill has helped you amassed great worldly wealth.

Loving Wisdom

"I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me. Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness" (Proverbs 8:17-18).

Even though wisdom has called out to everyone in the city streets, she is only acquired by those who love her. The benefits of her love are described in terms of riches and wealth as well as honor and righteousness. Linking these four things together tells us that she offers the kind of riches and wealth that are not of this world.

The Hebrew word for "enduring" means "surpassing" or "eminent." The wealth that comes to the one who loves wisdom is the real thing. The riches she offers are not the worldly substitutes that come with gold and silver. As we have been told several times, wisdom is more valuable than those earthly minerals.

To truly be honored in one's community, it will take a life lived well by the loving instruction of wisdom. Superficial honor is gained by a big bank account. Those who spend their life pursuing gold and silver are chasing after the kind of honor that is fleeting, never enduring.

Today's passage reminds us that the real treasure we seek is found in godly living. It is our love for wisdom that will lead us to that real treasure, for it is wisdom that offers us our only chance at a godly life.

Wonderful Gifts

"I have counsel and sound wisdom; I have insight; I have strength. By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just; by me princes ruler, and nobles, all who govern justly" (Proverbs 8:14-16)

It probably doesn't come to you as a huge surprise that life can be very confusing. There are decisions that have to be made on a daily basis. Those decisions need to be made wisely. It helps to have people in our lives who can give wise counsel and who can give us keen insight. Wisdom is such a friend. Wisdom comes to us bearing gifts.

Wisdom presents the gifts of wise counsel and sound judgement. She gives insight for the task at hand as well as strength to complete the task. She gives us the valor of a strong soldier who fights his way through repeated battles.

Wisdom presents herself to kings, princes, rulers, and nobles as they make decisions about just laws. With wisdom they rule. With wisdom they decree. To write truly fair laws for their people, those in authority must heed the wise counsel and sound judgement wisdom offers.

This wonderful truth applies to all in authority. It applies to bosses at work as well as parents at home. It applies to teachers in the classroom as well as Presidents in the White House.

All in authority are called upon to rule with the wise counsel, sound judgement, and moral strength freely offered by wisdom. She stands ready to hand her amazing gifts to those who will receive them.

Life Untangled

"I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion. The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate" (Proverbs 8:12-13).

The next ten verses contain over a dozen personal pronouns. I, me, my, and mine put the emphasis on wisdom rather than the rewards of wisdom. Therefore, wisdom is to be pursued with passion and commitment.

To possess wisdom is to naturally possess prudence, knowledge, and discretion. Our pursuit of wisdom is as noble a pursuit as we can have because wisdom leads us to an intimate relationship with the Lord. The fruit of that relationship is sensible and discrete living.

The person who lives a sensible and discrete life is the one who is not tangled in the vices of pride, arrogance, perverted speech and all things associated with the "way of evil." In other words, prudence, knowledge, and discretion will cause us to hate the same evil things the Lord hates, leading us to a life untangled.

Keep in mind that wisdom has a moral element as well as a mental element. Fearing the Lord produces a beautiful life that rejects perverse talk, evil behavior, and all things arrogant. It goes back to the fact that life is about Who we know rather than what we know. This is the meaning behind "the fear of the Lord."

If you find yourself entangled in the ugliness of pride, perverse talk, or anything associated with the way of evil, seek the wisdom of the Lord through your fear of the Lord. This will lead you to a life untangled and thus a beautiful life.

No Deceptive Twists

"All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them. They are all straight to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge. Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you desire cannot compare with her" (Proverbs 8:8-11).

This passage is very similar to Proverbs 3:13-15. If I didn't know better, I would think Solomon did a little "cutting and pasting" here. But he didn't. He simply does what is necessary to drive the point home. He repeats, reiterates, and reinforces truth by saying it one more time. Hoping that if we didn't catch the truth the first time, we will catch it this time.

The message is clear: wisdom is better than gold, silver, and jewels. I know it is hard for some of us to believe this, but it's true. The very nature of wisdom should convince us of this truth. Wisdom sends us down the right path. It is the path that is straight. It does not confuse us with any deceptive twists and turns.

Confusion is caused when we believe that which is not true about life. Lies about how life can be full and meaningful apart from our Creator. Lies about us being able to save ourselves. The twisted and distorted message that life can be fulfilling if only we had enough money. The enemy wants us to believe the stairs are going down and not up.

Let's grasp the life giving truth that wisdom offers. Let's not be duped into thinking that silver, gold, and jewels fill the emptiness we all experience in life. Life is designed to be lived in intimate fellowship with our Creator. The gaps that are formed by the break in that relationship will never be filled by material things.

God is shooting straight with us in this Proverb. May we all find ourselves traveling the straight path on which wisdom points. May we not be coaxed into leaving that path in search of that which will never fill the gaps of our lives.

The High Road

"Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right, for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips" (Proverbs 8:6-7).

There is the high road of life as well as the low road of life. The high road is the noble road. A noble life is one that is characterized by high ideals and strong moral traits. Take the opposite of that and you have a life marked by low ideals and weak moral traits. That is the life that is void of wisdom.

Wisdom offers the high road. Wisdom calls us to ascend the heights of noble living. A place where are thoughts are pure and refreshing. The high road is where we can only treat others with dignity, care, concern, and true grace. Wisdom's lips speak the truth about the noble life which is beautiful. We are called to join her on the trek up the mountain of nobility and righteousness.

We have all been wounded on the low road. We have all been stung by the hurtful words of hateful people. Those who live selfishly and foolishly have treated us shamefully, with no care given for our condition, no concern for our point of view. They have not been gracious.

Choose the right road today. When the road forks in front of you, one path ascending and one path descending... ascend. Wisdom is calling us to the high road which is noble and right.

Wisdom For All

"'To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man. O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense. ...'" (Proverbs 8:4-5).

Wisdom calls out to all people. To men and their children as well as to the simple and to the fools. We find in Proverbs that both the adulteress and wisdom call aloud. They both appeal to those who are naive. Wisdom asks the young to gain prudence which means they are to acquire a sensibleness to their approach to life's many confusing alternatives.

The simple are those who are untaught and the fools are those who won't be taught. Wisdom calls out to both. Those who are naive because they yet to be taught are invited to be taught. Those who foolishly reject wisdom are called to no longer live foolishly. They are encouraged to allow themselves to be taught the wise was to live.

Wisdom is for young and old. Wisdom calls to those who have yet to learn and those who have, up to this point, refused to learn. Wisdom is available to all.

Are you ready to learn from her?

Crossroads

"Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice? On the heights beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand; beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud" (Proverbs 8:1-3).

This passage is very similar to Proverbs 1:20-21 in that it assures us that wisdom is calling out to us in a way that we can hear her. She positions herself in strategic locations around the city so that we can know how to navigate the very busy and confusing roads of life.

But are we listening?

With rhetorical questions, Solomon is telling us that wisdom and understanding are calling with a loud voice. These beautiful sisters stand on high ground as well as low ground. They position themselves at the gates of town as we work our way toward and through everyday decisions. They sit at our window as we look out toward the future.

It is at the crossroads we find wisdom and understanding calling us to lean on them. Crossroads are about making a decision. Which way do I go? Do I turn here or do I go straight? Am I in the right place or not? Wisdom and understanding will let us know.

As you find yourself in the city, by the window, on the hills, or in the valleys... heed the call of wisdom and understanding. As you find yourself at the crossroads of your life, allow understanding and wisdom to call you in the right direction. For it is wisdom and understanding that will guard your steps.

No Trespassing

"And now, O sons, listen to me, and be attentive to the words of my mouth. Let not your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths, for many a victim has she laid low, and all her slain are a mighty throng. Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers of death" (Proverbs 7: 24-27).

This section of Proverbs, relating to the call to avoid sexual immorality, ends with the most dire of warnings. This section ends with a warning that the path of the immoral leads to "the chambers of death."

There is no authentic life in sexual sin. There is only imitation life. There is no freedom in sexual sin. There is only bondage. We are called to not stray into imitation life or bondage. To do so puts us on the long list of other victims slain and laid low by sin.

No trespassing signs tend to be very clear. They designate places we don't belong. Some of those signs warn that trespassers will be shot. Those who stray from the path and enter the forbidden zone do so at their own risk. The same is true for those who stray into immoral territory. There is the threat of great harm.

It is important that we give our full attention to the truth of God's Word. His teaching is meant to give us life. His words give freedom. Enough warning has been given, right? If we fail to heed the warnings, we do so at our own peril.

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!

Wily and Wayward

"And behold, the woman meets him, dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart. She is loud and wayward; her feet do not stay at home; now in the street, now in the market, and at every turn she lies in wait" (Proverbs 7:10-12).

You may be familiar with the Saturday morning cartoon, The Roadrunner. That illusive little bird was not only quick on his feet, but he was a quick thinker. He knew that the wily coyote was busy setting traps for him. It was always fun for me to watch the crazy antics of the coyote as he continually failed to catch the roadrunner.

What is not fun are the real world antics of the wily and wayward woman who seeks to entice the young man who finds himself vulnerable to sexual sin.

Her hunt begins with how she dresses. Provocative and enticing attire is her camouflage. She does not sneak around in silence, however. She is loud with her outgoing personality. She draws in her prey with bold speech.

She does not hunt from her front porch. She moves about town. She goes from the street to the market. She is a roamer. She is truly wily and wayward.

Extreme caution must be exercised when it comes to the wily ways of the wayward woman. She continually sets traps for the young man who can be extremely vulnerable. The Scripture implores young men and women everywhere to keep their feet on the path of righteousness so they can be as illusive as the speedy roadrunner.

It is a sad fact of life that a plethora of traps are set by the enemy. It is a joyous thing, however, when believers are able to safely run past those traps. It would make it even more joyous if we, as speedy believers, offer a quick "Beep Beep!" as we run past those failed traps.

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.

Christmas Break

A Daily Passage will return after the Christmas break.

Have a very Merry Christmas!

A Blessed Fountain

"Drink water from your own cistern, flowing water from your own well. Should your springs be scattered abroad, streams of water in the streets? Let them be for yourself alone, and not for strangers with you. Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth, a lovely deer, a graceful doe" (Proverbs 5:15-18).

The rewards for marital fidelity are wonderful. The rewards are as refreshing as pure spring water that is not polluted by adultery. The picture of infidelity we are given here is spilt water. Water that has spilt out on to the street is seen as lost and polluted. This is why discipline and restraint are so vital to the marriage relationship.

Cisterns, wells, springs, and streams all have boundaries. Those boundaries are what keep the water pure and readily accessible. Without restraint, the water is spilled out on to the streets and thus wasted. This is why the Lord calls on us to keep our sexual desires in check. There is absolutely nothing wrong with sexual desires. There is never a call for us to repress our sexual desires; we are simply called to control them.

River banks do a wonderful job of protecting neighborhoods from flood waters. Once those banks are breached, real damage is done. So it is with our sexuality. One of God's amazing gifts to His children is sex. His desire is for us to enjoy it in the safety of discipline and restraint. We are to be intoxicated by the joy of sex. To control our sexual desires inside the covenant of marriage leads to blessing. If not controlled, real damage is done. Within the protective river banks of marriage there is tremendous rejoicing when sexual freedom is exercised and enjoyed.

Never forget, you do not have to repress your sexual desires. You simply have to direct them. If you do, you will know the pleasure of God in the intimacy of your marriage. If you do not, you will only know the heartache of sexual floodwaters that have spilled over their protective banks.

It Will Cost You

"And now, O sons, listen to me, and do not depart from the words of my mouth. Keep your way far from her, and do not go near the door of her house, lest you give your honor to others and your years to the merciless, lest strangers take their fill of your strength, and your labors go to the house of a foreigner, and at the end of your life you groan, when your flesh and body are consumed, and you say, 'How I hated discipline, and my heart despised reproof! I did not listen to the voice of my teachers or incline my ear to my instructors. I am at the brink of utter ruin in the assembled congregation'" (Proverbs 5:7-14).

Because the cost of adultery is so high, Solomon urges his sons to listen and hold fast to what he tells them. He warns them that moral failure is costly. Hence, the boys are not to even go close to the adulteress' house. The temptation could be so great, even being near her could prove deadly.

The consequences of adultery are threefold, according to Solomon. To fall prey to adultery will first cost a person their honor. Sin takes a toll on a person by zapping their spiritual strength due to the guilt that is produced. Their is no honor in sin... and we know that.

To fall prey to sexual sin will also cost a person their emotional strength. This could mean that their emotional health is compromised because they lose their self-respect. There is nothing respectable about sin because it is an offense to God and it ruins human relationship.

To fall prey to adultery will cost a person their money. To have "your labors go to the house of a foreigner" means that you literally pay for your transgression. Whether it is paying money to keep the transgression secret, paying the adulteress so she sticks around, or paying child support once a baby is born, the monetary cost of sin can be very real.

The cost of sin can also be found in being remorseful at the end of your life for not listening to sound counsel in this area. The ruin and the disgrace in the eyes of others brings intense remorse. The bottom line is simple: it will cost you greatly if you fall prey to sexual sin.

Consider your steps today. Are you walking anywhere close to the house of ruin? Are you flirting with disaster. If so, take the counsel of Scripture and stay far away from the adulteress' house. You cannot afford the actual cost associated with the experience she offers.

Smoke And Mirrors

"My son, be attentive to my wisdom; incline your ear to my understanding, that you may keep discretion, and your lips may guard knowledge. For the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil, but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps follow the path to Sheol; she does not ponder the path of life; her ways wander, and she does not know it" (Proverbs 5:1-6).

Proverbs now takes up the subject of adultery. We are introduced to the "forbidden woman" who promises a good time with her smooth and sweet words. The end result of the son's involvement with such a woman, however, would be utter disaster. This is why the admonition to pay attention to wisdom's warning is repeated once again.

Illusionists sometimes use smoke and mirrors to make people think they can do amazing things like disappear and such. Our eyes tend to believe what they see and so we are amazed. Adulterous people are the same way, but instead of using smoke and mirrors, they use flattering words, seductive invitations, and empty promises. The flattery builds confidence, the seductive invitation builds anticipation of pleasure, and the promises build hope of fulfillment.

And so with confidence, anticipation of pleasure, and the promise of fulfillment, young men and women walk straight into the trap. The trap is one of death that has a bitter taste and a wounding cut. The bitter taste of wormwood and the wounds of the two-edged sword are all that adultery can and ever will deliver.

Never forget that things are not always as they appear. Consider this as you hear the seductive words of the "forbidden woman" because the dripping honey quickly turns to blood. And the blood is ours.

The Straight And Narrow

"Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left: turn your foot away from evil" (Proverbs 4:25-27).

Starting with the debacle of the Garden of Eden, we humans have always wanted what we can't have. Craig Barnes once said that he believed the Lord placed one forbidden tree in the garden simply to prove that we were never meant to have it all.

Yet we strive for just that.

The discipline of keeping our eyes on that which is good for us is imperative if we want to really enjoy life. It is important to ponder the path we walk in order to experience life to its richest potential. Wisdom tells us that avoiding all swerves to the right and left takes us to the ultimate destination. And so wisdom's call is to avoid crashing into ditches that ruin the journey.

We must keep in mind that sin is not only attractive to us, it is deadly. The admonition from God to walk the straight and narrow path is not punishment. It is provision. The day we learn that what we are looking for is not on the side of the road but rather over the horizon, is the day we truly start to live. Life is truly lived well when we live it on the path and not in the ditch.

And so we are told to keep our eyes on the horizon. We are told to not swerve off the road into the ditch. We are told to ponder the path set before us. This is God's provision for us, not His punishment. The straight and narrow road is a daring and dangerous road because it takes faith that what is over the horizon is much better than what is in the ditch.

Liar Liar

"Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you" (Proverbs 4:24).

I have sometimes wondered what would happen if our noses really did grow longer each time we told a lie. Not just big lies, even when we tell little white ones. What if we were caught every single time our speech was anything but straight forward?

I bet then we would more closely watch what comes out of our mouths.

Guarding our hearts has a huge impact on what comes out of our mouths. The difference between being honest and deceptive is the difference between a pure heart and a polluted one. Jesus once said, "The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks" (Luke 6:45).

The only way we would be able to put away crooked and devious speech would be to walk the righteous path on which only a righteous heart treads. The path our heart takes is the path our tongues will naturally take as well. This is why it is so important to guard our hearts.

If our goal is to honor God in all we say and do, we will fail miserably if we are people who are known as deceitful, tricky, scheming, wily, underhanded, cunning, sneaky, crafty, or sly when it comes to our words. In other words, we cannot honor God if we are liars. Even if our noses don't grow longer each time we lie, we will be found out. For that which is in our hearts always works its way to the surface.

Springs Of Life

"My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life" (Proverbs 4:20-23).

We again are told that wisdom's value is found in the health it produces. To pay attention with our "ears" and "eyes" is to focus on life giving truth. To take truth into our "hearts" is not just about mental and emotional capacity. It is about a person's values.

Inner values lead to external actions. The phrase, "springs of life," denotes one's actions. What comes out of a person's heart, by way of actions, indicates the quality of one's inner values. If there is garbage in a person's heart then only garbage will spring forth. If there is godliness in a person's heart then only godliness with spring forth. It's as simple as that.

How is the quality of that which flows from your heart? Does purity and refreshing life flow out of your heart? It is either that or garbage. Purity and refreshment is that which leads to healing. Again we are told that wisdom leads to life while foolishness leads to death.

The key to life, therefore, is found in paying close attention to the truth of God's Word. What we allow our ears and eyes to focus on matters because the object of our focus will make its way into our hearts. And from our hearts flow springs of life. Hopefully those springs (actions) are not polluted.

Protecting Shins and Toes

"But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day. The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble" (Proverbs 4:18-19).

I have hiked the mountains of Colorado both in the light of day and the dark of night. For obvious reasons, it is easier and safer in the light of day. Or maybe not so obvious? I only ask because so many of us choose to step foot on the path that is like "deep darkness" expecting not to stumble.

The truth is, we will always stumble along the path that is drenched in darkness. I have learned this lesson well. I have banged my shins and stubbed my toes on living room furniture too many times, as I have tried to make my way to the kitchen in the dead of night. And it always hurts!

To walk the path of the righteous is the complete opposite. It is like the bright light of a dawning morning that only gets brighter as the day progresses. This speaks to the joy that comes from knowing where you are going while seeing the obstacles that stand in the way.

Jesus has been introduced to us as true Light. His Word is the lamp unto our feet. His glory shines an illuminating light for us so that we can take life's journey while being fully aware of the pitfalls and potholes that lie in devilish wait.

Chose to walk in "the light" of wisdom today. Enjoy the bright light of dawn as you trek through the day. There is great joy in doing this knowing that our shins and toes will appreciate our effort.

Warning Signs

"Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil. Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on. For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble. For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence" (Proverbs 4:14-17).

It is so imperative that we not walk the path of the wicked that six critical commands are issued. The sense of urgency is obvious. Do not enter, walk, or go on that path! Do avoid, turn away from, and pass by the path of the wicked! To enter the way of the wicked, one would have to deliberately walk past six warning signs. They would have to climb over six barbed wire fences. To travel the path of those who hate God, someone would have to ignore six blaring sirens.

The warning sings, fences, and sirens are exposing the fact that those who do evil things are not just doing them, they are feasting on them. They are people who can't sleep because the hunger to do wrong gnaws at their soul. Their depraved guts crave violence. Their "bread and wine" are to do evil things. They can't sleep at night until they cause harm to someone.

How many warning signs have you ignored in your lifetime? How many sirens have gone unheeded? How many fences have you jumped in order to be in a place you don't belong? For me, there are too many to count. That is why my commitment is to walk a totally different path. I like to sleep at night and I have found that the best way to enjoy a good night's sleep is to live a life that honors God.

If you or I find ourselves on the path of the wicked, walking the way of the depraved; it is only because we have chosen to ignore the warning signs. It is because we have chosen to jump the fence. Let's be sure that when we feast, we feast on only the good things of God and not the "bread and wine" of the sleepless wicked.

A Run Without Stumbles

"Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many. I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness. When you walk, your step will not be hampered, and if you run, you will not stumble. Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life" (Proverbs 4:10-13).

These four verses describe the way of the wise while the next four verse describe the way of the wicked. (Tune in tomorrow for that important lesson.)

For today's lesson, we must focus on the joys of a "straight path." The jubilation experienced on the straight path wisdom provides is in stark contrast to the desolation found on the path of the wicked. A straight path is a path with little or no restriction. To walk or run an unrestricted path is to move along a much easier path. It is a path which leads to life.

Life is found on the path where our steps are not hampered. It is a path that is not narrowed or cramped. Life is found in the wide open spaces of God's perfect will. If we do just a little bit of reflection, we would probably admit that the path we used to walk, the crooked and devious path of sin, was fraught with problems and hardships. The trips and falls we experienced outside of God's will were truly painful. Right?

Does it not sound good to you to walk and run the path that leads to joy and life? Doesn't it sound amazing to be able to really enjoy the path that is not cramped and crooked? To walk a path with very little restriction? If it does, then you and I need to seriously consider wisdom's instruction. We are told to not let go of her. We are instructed to guard her. For she is our life. She keeps us from a hampered walk while providing us a run without stumbles.

Wisdom's Crown

"The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight. Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her. She will place on your head a graceful garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown" (Proverbs 4:7-9).

To prize wisdom is to win the prize of life. Consider the word picture used to explain the benefits of getting wisdom and insight. It is that of a runner winning the race. That winning runner is exalted above the others as he or she stands on the top tier. The runner is honored for the win and is given the prize in front of a cheering crowd of witnesses.

The winner of the race receives a graceful garland and beautiful crown. Wisdom's prize is pictured as grey hair. It is the person who not only lives life well, but lives life with a deep understanding of the big picture. This can only come with the passage of time.

The person who, over a long period of time, gets wisdom and understanding is the person who is rewarded for a life well lived because of their wisdom.

Find a follower of Christ with grey hair today and ask them to share the wisdom they have attained over the years. Ask them to pass on a gem or two. What did they learn along the way that would help you in your running of the race?

Life's race is not a sprint as much as it is a marathon. It can only be won if we keep running. It takes wisdom and insight to run a good long race. But remember that the prize is a graceful garland and beautiful crown... pictured as grey hair. Keep in mind that grey hair is wisdom's crown.