Now then, my sons, listen to me; pay attention to what I say. Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths. Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng. Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death. (Proverbs 7:24-27 NIV)
It would be easy to dismiss this chapter. The temptation seems obvious and we think we would never be foolish enough to fall for it if we encountered it. Unfortunately, far too many have given their lives for a momentary pleasure that followed this pattern.
The seduction starts when we are where we’re not supposed to be. David on the roof of the palace when he should be with his troops on the battle line is the classic example (2 Samuel 11). My own experience is that temptation is greatest when I’m not intentional about what I’m doing. Wandering rarely turns out well. This doesn’t mean never relaxing, but it does mean making choices ahead of time about positive things to do to relax. The foolish young man isn’t specifically looking to commit adultery, he’s just wandering.
The seduction continues when in our wandering we encounter an attractive distraction. We can honestly say we weren’t looking for it, but it just popped into our view. I just know that behind the ads on our computers are things that are much less innocent than the images and phrases designed to peak our curiosity. Why would we think that the advertisers have our best interest at heart? At best, they want to get us to buy something w don’t need and at worst they want to immerse us into sites designed to addict and entrap us.
The adulterous woman in this chapter is not passive. She grabs the young man and quickly works to dismantle every rational argument he has for leaving. It is no different now. Giving attention to the temptation and thinking about never ends well, at least for me. The only solution to this is to flee to safety regardless of the seduction.
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. (1 Corinthians 6:18 NIV)
To my grandchildren:
When something catches your eye and you are not sure it is something that God would want you to have then run away.
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