Falling into Temptation!
Readings for the Day
Proverbs 7-9, Romans 9
Verses for the Day
Warning Against the Adulterous Woman
7 My son, keep my words
and store up my commands within you.
2 Keep my commands and you will live;
guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
3 Bind them on your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
and to insight, “You are my relative.”
5 They will keep you from the adulterous woman,
from the wayward woman with her seductive words.
6 At the window of my house
I looked down through the lattice.
7 I saw among the simple,
I noticed among the young men,
a youth who had no sense.
8 He was going down the street near her corner,
walking along in the direction of her house
9 at twilight, as the day was fading,
as the dark of night set in.
10 Then out came a woman to meet him,
dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.
11 (She is unruly and defiant,
her feet never stay at home;
12 now in the street, now in the squares,
at every corner she lurks.)
13 She took hold of him and kissed him
and with a brazen face she said:
14 “Today I fulfilled my vows,
and I have food from my fellowship offering at home.
Lest we think the bible, written thousands of years ago, doesn't speak to contemporary issues, we haven't read this passage. As the voice of "wisdom" speaks to his "son", today he addresses the adulteress woman. Of course, we know this could relate to either gender, but the principles are the same. His main point is that if the son will keep God's words as the apple of his eye, he will be able to overcome the temptation of this woman.
In the verse, he describes a senseless young man who wanders toward the seductive woman's corner, oblivious to impending temptation. I.e. He is walking right into it. He is not fleeing temptation, he is moving toward it. Later we will learn that she is married, but her husband is not home. She lures him with her seductive words and charm. At once he followed and he bit the apple, and was like an of being led to the slaughter. He likens him to a bird being caught in a snare not knowing it will cost him his life.
Notice a couple of things. First, the young man knowingly walked into a place that he knew would be a temptation. As they say in A.A., "If you don't want to fall avoid slippery places". You can think about that one with whatever particular temptation you face. Next, when she came out to meet him, he did nothing to recognize the temptation and flee. He was completely passive. Finally, and most importantly, he didn't turn to God or His word for his help. Because he was caught in the moment, he did not heed the warning of wisdom, which would tell him he was waking into "the highway to the grave and the chambers of death."
The bottom line is you have no plan to deal with temptation, you are planning to fall to it. It is good to know and have available a verse like 1 Corinthians 10:13, "13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted,[c] he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it."
Proverbs 7-9, Romans 9
Verses for the Day
Warning Against the Adulterous Woman
7 My son, keep my words
and store up my commands within you.
2 Keep my commands and you will live;
guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
3 Bind them on your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
and to insight, “You are my relative.”
5 They will keep you from the adulterous woman,
from the wayward woman with her seductive words.
6 At the window of my house
I looked down through the lattice.
7 I saw among the simple,
I noticed among the young men,
a youth who had no sense.
8 He was going down the street near her corner,
walking along in the direction of her house
9 at twilight, as the day was fading,
as the dark of night set in.
10 Then out came a woman to meet him,
dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.
11 (She is unruly and defiant,
her feet never stay at home;
12 now in the street, now in the squares,
at every corner she lurks.)
13 She took hold of him and kissed him
and with a brazen face she said:
14 “Today I fulfilled my vows,
and I have food from my fellowship offering at home.
Lest we think the bible, written thousands of years ago, doesn't speak to contemporary issues, we haven't read this passage. As the voice of "wisdom" speaks to his "son", today he addresses the adulteress woman. Of course, we know this could relate to either gender, but the principles are the same. His main point is that if the son will keep God's words as the apple of his eye, he will be able to overcome the temptation of this woman.
In the verse, he describes a senseless young man who wanders toward the seductive woman's corner, oblivious to impending temptation. I.e. He is walking right into it. He is not fleeing temptation, he is moving toward it. Later we will learn that she is married, but her husband is not home. She lures him with her seductive words and charm. At once he followed and he bit the apple, and was like an of being led to the slaughter. He likens him to a bird being caught in a snare not knowing it will cost him his life.
Notice a couple of things. First, the young man knowingly walked into a place that he knew would be a temptation. As they say in A.A., "If you don't want to fall avoid slippery places". You can think about that one with whatever particular temptation you face. Next, when she came out to meet him, he did nothing to recognize the temptation and flee. He was completely passive. Finally, and most importantly, he didn't turn to God or His word for his help. Because he was caught in the moment, he did not heed the warning of wisdom, which would tell him he was waking into "the highway to the grave and the chambers of death."
The bottom line is you have no plan to deal with temptation, you are planning to fall to it. It is good to know and have available a verse like 1 Corinthians 10:13, "13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted,[c] he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it."
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