Apart from timely reminders on acting quickly to get ourselves out of trouble and more warnings against folly (laziness, greed, deceit etc), Proverbs 6 returns to vivid images of adultery, teaching the young man (or woman) the dangers to avoid.
So what are the lessons in brief?
We’re to watch out for the smooth tongue of the wayward immoral, easy woman. We’re not either to lust after her, or allow her to seduce us. If we did, we’d easily be reduced like Esau to a loaf of bread--how tragic to lose a life path for a meal or a sneaky interlude? After all, “Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned?” (Proverbs 6:27 NIV)
(NOTE: There is no reason why we should not read these passages in a gender inclusive way. They do not just refer to men, but women too.)
Even though a thief feeding his family must pay sevenfold when caught (verse 31) his reputation is not utterly destroyed like the adulterer’s. And he doesn’t run for his life from the husband’s inherent fury like the man caught with his wife (verse 34).
“A man who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself. Blows and disgrace are his lot, and his shame will never be wiped away.” (Proverbs 6:32-33 NIV)
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We see Proverbs 1–9 continually hunt this point. There are levels of folly. Laziness and pride and lack of understanding are one thing, but adultery, like murder, is sin gone too far. Certainly folly contributes to the causes of grade 1 sin i.e. the worst kind.
And if our friends, parents or other family have made (or been cut by) these very mistakes we discuss, we learn firsthand not to go there ourselves. There are two ways to learn: the easy way of observation or the hard way of bitter experience.
We must keep our father’s commands and not forsake our mother’s teaching. There is good reason to respect our parents’ leading. These are a constant guide and companion, when we walk life’s journey, when we rest, when we awaken (Verses 20-22).
Copyright © 2009, S. J. Wickham. All Rights Reserved.
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