Proverbs Devotion - Day 7

Have you ever noticed how clever and deceitful sin truly is? When it comes to sin and the temptation to partake in its promises and allurement, we do not often find ourselves saying “This I going to hurt, but I will do it anyway.” Sin does not reveal its true consequences from the outset but rather masks them behind promises of secrecy and fulfillment. This is the catalyst for Solomon’s warning to his son in our reading today.

The particular sin being addressed in this chapter is the sin of sexual immorality, specifically the seduction of an adulteress who makes many promises to the young man in order to entice him into her sin. This chapter clearly gives warning to the consequences of falling into the trap of sexual sin, but there is also a pattern that is revealed in the way temptation tends to come upon us. That is the warning that Solomon is giving his son, because in order to defeat temptation, we must be able to recognize it and where it leads from the very beginning; otherwise we will find ourselves like the young man snared in the trap of sin which leads to our destruction.

The first mistake that is called out in the passage is that the young man places himself in a position where this sin could overtake him. He “passes along the street near her corner.” Not only is he putting himself in the position for this sin to take place, but he is also doing at the worst time because it is “in the twilight, in the evening, at the time of night and darkness.” Sin loves the dark. Our sinful flesh loves the dark. Yet Jesus is the light of the world. Coming to Christ places us directly in the light of God where sin has no room to breathe. Do not keep yourself isolated from other believers. Do not think that you are above accountability. Keep your life transparent and open so that sin has no room to hide in your life.

The other mistakes follow. There is a separation of religious duty from morality by the temptress (v. 14). There are flowery words of enticement that appeal to the senses and ego and promise no repercussions for what takes place because everything will be done in complete secrecy (v. 15-20). All of this is a lie that leads to the same inevitable end of destruction.

The solution to avoiding this entrapment of temptation is twofold. Be aware of the progression and work of sin so that it can be resisted and avoided. Also, cling to the Word. Pursue the Lord and His Word and keep it in your heart. That is one of the reasons that we are doing this reading and devotional series this month as a church. When we are pursuing the Lord and His Word then temptation and sin have a much more difficult time succeeding in enticing us away. So, the question to consider today is whether you are truly guarding yourself against sin and temptation? Do you avoid the places and the times that you know are susceptible to sin’s allure? Are you proactively fighting against temptation by persistently seeking the Lord and putting His Word in your heart? If not, then let this month be the start of your growth in hiding the Word in your heart for your growth as well as protection.