The text for today’s reading and meditation come from Proverbs 5:1-14 (NLT):
“My son, pay attention to my wisdom; listen carefully to my wise counsel. Then you will show discernment, and your lips will express what you’ve learned.
For the lips of an immoral woman are as sweet as honey (this also applies to an immoral man), and her mouth is smoother than oil. But in the end she is as bitter as poison, as dangerous as a double-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave. For she cares nothing about the path to life. She staggers down a crooked trail and doesn’t realize it.
So now, my sons, listen to me. Never stray from what I am about to say: Stay away from her! Don’t go near the door of her house! (Take another path.) If you do (go to her), you will lose your honor and will lose to merciless people all you have achieved. Strangers will consume your wealth, and someone else will enjoy the fruit of your labor.
In the end you will groan in anguish when disease consumes your body. You will say, “How I hated discipline! If only I had not ignored all the warnings! Oh, why didn’t I listen to my teachers? Why didn’t I pay attention to my instructors? I have come to the brink of utter ruin, and now I must face public disgrace.”
Notice the general outcomes that often flow from an immoral life: public disgrace; disease that consumes your body, and others will consume your wealth. Yet, you may know a few immoral people who don’t outwardly demonstrate any of these outcomes; however, there is one outcome, which a habitually immoral person, cannot escape (without God’s intervention) - eternal death.
Selwyn now looks at a third pillar of wisdom – personal purity.
He says: “We live in an age that largely ignores the biblical teaching that enjoins us to keep sexual intercourse until marriage. Some sections of the Church now accept ‘the new morality’ which says that sexual relationships outside marriage are fine providing they are conducted in a loving and a non-manipulative relationship. I have no hesitation in rejecting this, both as non biblical and anti-relationship. …
The emphasis of Proverbs at this point is to avoid putting yourself in a position of temptation – to keep well away from the danger of seduction.”
Are you constantly faced with elements of seduction when you enter various social interaction programs or chat rooms, on the Internet? If so, then don’t go there!
Are you often faced with sexual temptation when you watch certain TV shows or videos, or read certain magazines? If so, then don’t watch the shows or buy/read that magazine!
Are you always feeling bombarded by sexual overtones; when out, at your favourite bar, club or disco? If so, then don’t go there!
Are there groups of people, or a particular person, with whom you mix with - who, often turn the conversation around to sexual themes or activities? If so, keep your distance and take another path to a different group or person.
If you seek God’s help, in prayer, to take steps that avoid putting yourself in a position of temptation. I think, you will be amazed how easy, it will be, to ‘not go there’; even with the social pressures that may be on you from friends, to conform to the ways of this sexual world. What’s your view?
Take another path
The text for today’s reading and meditation come from Proverbs 5:1-14 (NLT):
“My son, pay attention to my wisdom; listen carefully to my wise counsel. Then you will show discernment, and your lips will express what you’ve learned.
For the lips of an immoral woman are as sweet as honey (this also applies to an immoral man), and her mouth is smoother than oil. But in the end she is as bitter as poison, as dangerous as a double-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave. For she cares nothing about the path to life. She staggers down a crooked trail and doesn’t realize it.
So now, my sons, listen to me. Never stray from what I am about to say: Stay away from her! Don’t go near the door of her house! (Take another path.) If you do (go to her), you will lose your honor and will lose to merciless people all you have achieved. Strangers will consume your wealth, and someone else will enjoy the fruit of your labor.
In the end you will groan in anguish when disease consumes your body. You will say, “How I hated discipline! If only I had not ignored all the warnings! Oh, why didn’t I listen to my teachers? Why didn’t I pay attention to my instructors? I have come to the brink of utter ruin, and now I must face public disgrace.”
Notice the general outcomes that often flow from an immoral life: public disgrace; disease that consumes your body, and others will consume your wealth. Yet, you may know a few immoral people who don’t outwardly demonstrate any of these outcomes; however, there is one outcome, which a habitually immoral person, cannot escape (without God’s intervention) - eternal death.
Selwyn now looks at a third pillar of wisdom – personal purity.
He says: “We live in an age that largely ignores the biblical teaching that enjoins us to keep sexual intercourse until marriage. Some sections of the Church now accept ‘the new morality’ which says that sexual relationships outside marriage are fine providing they are conducted in a loving and a non-manipulative relationship. I have no hesitation in rejecting this, both as non biblical and anti-relationship. …
The emphasis of Proverbs at this point is to avoid putting yourself in a position of temptation – to keep well away from the danger of seduction.”
Are you constantly faced with elements of seduction when you enter various social interaction programs or chat rooms, on the Internet? If so, then don’t go there!
Are you often faced with sexual temptation when you watch certain TV shows or videos, or read certain magazines? If so, then don’t watch the shows or buy/read that magazine!
Are you always feeling bombarded by sexual overtones; when out, at your favourite bar, club or disco? If so, then don’t go there!
Are there groups of people, or a particular person, with whom you mix with - who, often turn the conversation around to sexual themes or activities? If so, keep your distance and take another path to a different group or person.
If you seek God’s help, in prayer, to take steps that avoid putting yourself in a position of temptation. I think, you will be amazed how easy, it will be, to ‘not go there’; even with the social pressures that may be on you from friends, to conform to the ways of this sexual world. What’s your view?