Proverbs 5-7

Proverbs 5: Warning against adultery

What I find so great about this proverb, is that's it's beautifully honest. Not only does God not want you to sin because it's just wrong, but He wants to protect our hearts.

12 "You will say 'How I hated discipline! How my heart spurned correction!... (14)I have come to the brink of utter ruin in the midst of the whole assembly'"

You'll feel guilty, you'll have regrets, and God does not want to see that. He wants us to embrace discipline because He knows that is what really frees us - not lack there of.

18 "May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth."

This is not to say that sex is dirty or wrong but even more so that you miss out on the beauty of it, if you have sex outside of marriage. It says rejoice in the wife of your youth! Rejoice! These are good and beautiful things and God does not want us to miss out.

Proverbs 6: Warning against Folly

This is talking getting yourself into a sticky situation. If you mess up, and by your words, get yourself into a messy place that you can't figure out how to get out of -

"go humble yourself; press your plea with your neighbor"

get out of it! Do not dig a deeper hole or wait for it to work itself out.

"allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids"

instead "do this, my son, to free yourself... go humble yourself..."

It goes on to say:

16 "there are six things the Lord hates and seven that are detestable to him:
haughty eyes
a lying tongue
hands that shed innocent blood
a heart that devises wicked schemes
feet that are quick to rush into evil
a false witness who pours out lies
and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers"

and to the scoundrel and villain "therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant; he will suddenly be destroyed - without remedy."

So do not fall into these traps. It's laid out right here for us. Some things really are black and white.

Proverbs 7: warning against the adulteress

2 "Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye"

4 "Say to wisdom, 'you are my sister,' and call understanding your kinsman"

Wow, wisdom, my sister and understanding part of my family?? Sweet deal! Guard God's teachings as the apple of my eye, though? easier said than done. I long for that righteousness and wisdom. I long for life filled with commands I keep instead of ones I disobey. God knows our hearts. He knows that keeping His commands will in fact let you live, let you be free, versus the alternative which we sometimes think is freedom - doing whatever we want - that really leads to destruction and death.

This proverb is more adultery talk, but I think in a lot of cases it could be taken as any type of luring sin. She says "come let's drink deep of love till morning; let's enjoy ourselves with love!" man, have I heard that one too many times! (of course not from an adulterating woman). But this sin (whatever it is that really attracts you) just pulling you in "with persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk" (21).

Don't be led astray. Cling to freedom - true freedom. Long for Jesus, not for any other temporary fix. Call wisdom your sister and understand that God has a better plan for you than lust and immorality.