The Road Wrongly Traveled

For Thursday, October 19, 2006
Proverbs 7:6-15

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

10 And behold, the woman meets him,
dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart.
11 She is loud and wayward;
her feet do not stay at home;
12 now in the street, now in the market,
and at every corner she lies in wait.
13 She seizes him and kisses him,
and with bold face she says to him,
14 "I had to offer sacrifices,
and today I have paid my vows;
15 so now I have come out to meet you,
to seek you eagerly, and I have found you.

The simple man is about to fall prey to a woman wanting his money and to use him for her own purposes. But he falls prey because he knowingly puts himself in the position to be lured. He walks to her house and at a time he knows she will be looking for a "customer" and in the night where his own actions can be hidden. The forbidden woman uses her wiles to lure him, but then he is already desirous of her.

Consider her ways. She is bold, upfront with her intentions, flaunting her body and her desires. Verse 14 is probably a reference to a pagan feast day that she uses as an excuse for her actions.

How pathetic they both are - a senseless young man who looks to a prostituting wife for happiness. That is the motive for them both. They want to be happy through sex and money. The adventure of forbidden sex pushes the man; the rush of power for the woman in dominating yet another man - these are the cheap thrills that will cost them their lives and will rob them of meaningful living.

It is good to seek happiness, but seek it where it truly lies - in the gospel of Christ, in the glory of the Lord. Understand that you will not find power to withstand worldly and illicit sexual pleasure until you grasp that your choice is not giving up pleasure for duty, but of giving up illusory pleasure that harms you and turning to the One who seeks you as the Good Shepherd and carries you in his arms.