January 8, 2024

Sinful Seduction Only Leads to Destruction.

Proverbs 7

Steve Holmes
Monday's Devo

January 8, 2024

Monday's Devo

January 8, 2024

Monday's Devo

January 8, 2024

Monday's Devo

January 8, 2024

Big Book Idea

Living wisely; God's way.

Key Verse | Proverbs 7:21-23

With much seductive speech she persuades him;
with her smooth talk she compels him.
All at once he follows her,
as an ox goes to the slaughter,
or as a stag is caught fast
till an arrow pierces its liver;
as a bird rushes into a snare;
he does not know that it will cost him his life.

Proverbs 7

Warning Against the Adulteress

1  My son, keep my words
    and treasure up my commandments with you;
2  keep my commandments and live;
    keep my teaching as the apple of your eye;
3  bind them on your fingers;
    write them on the tablet of your heart.
4  Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
    and call insight your intimate friend,
5  to keep you from the forbidden 1 7:5 Hebrew strange woman,
    from the adulteress 2 7:5 Hebrew the foreign woman with her smooth words.

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. 3 7:10 Hebrew guarded in 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, 4 7:14 Hebrew peace offerings
    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.
16  I have spread my couch with coverings,
    colored linens from Egyptian linen;
17  I have perfumed my bed with myrrh,
    aloes, and cinnamon.
18  Come, let us take our fill of love till morning;
    let us delight ourselves with love.
19  For my husband is not at home;
    he has gone on a long journey;
20  he took a bag of money with him;
    at full moon he will come home.”

21  With much seductive speech she persuades him;
    with her smooth talk she compels him.
22  All at once he follows her,
    as an ox goes to the slaughter,
or as a stag is caught fast 5 7:22 Probable reading (compare Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac); Hebrew as a chain to discipline a fool
23      till an arrow pierces its liver;
as a bird rushes into a snare;
    he does not know that it will cost him his life.

24  And now, O sons, listen to me,
    and be attentive to the words of my mouth.
25  Let not your heart turn aside to her ways;
    do not stray into her paths,
26  for many a victim has she laid low,
    and all her slain are a mighty throng.
27  Her house is the way to Sheol,
    going down to the chambers of death.

Footnotes

[1] 7:5 Hebrew strange
[2] 7:5 Hebrew the foreign woman
[3] 7:10 Hebrew guarded in heart
[4] 7:14 Hebrew peace offerings
[5] 7:22 Probable reading (compare Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac); Hebrew as a chain to discipline a fool
Table of Contents
Introduction to Proverbs

Introduction to Proverbs

Timeline

Author and Date

Proverbs itself mentions Solomon (reigned c. 971–931 B.C.) as author or collector of its contents (1:1; 10:1), including the proverbs copied by Hezekiah’s men (25:1). There are also two batches of sayings from a group called “the wise” (22:17–24:22; 24:23–34), and “oracles” from Agur (30:1–33) and Lemuel (31:1–9). No author is named for the song in praise of the excellent wife that ends the book (31:10–31). Although Proverbs was begun in the time of Solomon, it probably was not in its present form until the time of Hezekiah (reigned c. 715–686 B.C.).

Theme

The goal of the book is stated right at the beginning (1:1–7): to describe what wisdom is and to help God’s people become wise. Wisdom is founded in the “fear of the Lord,” and it enables believers to express their faith in the practical details of everyday life.

Audience

The book is addressed to a young man. The situations he will face while he is young receive much attention. These situations supply concrete examples from which all readers can apply lessons to their own lives. Anyone who is wise and who pays attention will benefit (1:5) from this instruction.

Reading Proverbs

The reader of Proverbs must seek to understand the various types of people the book describes. The most obvious characters in the book are the wise, the fool, and the simple. Proverbs urges its readers to be wise, which means embracing God’s covenant and living out the covenant in everyday situations (compare 2:2; 10:1). The fool is the person who constantly opposes God’s covenant (1:7b). The simple is the person who is not firmly committed, either to wisdom or to folly; he is easily misled (14:15).

The first nine chapters of Proverbs are “wisdom poems” that urge the reader to pursue wisdom. The main section of Proverbs—the concise, memorable statements of two or three lines—begins in 10:1. Proverbs often seem to be mere observations about life, but their deeper meanings will reveal themselves if the following questions are kept in mind: (1) What virtue does this proverb commend? (2) What vice does it disapprove of? (3) What value does it affirm?

Key Themes

Proverbs offers wisdom on a wide array of topics from daily life: diligence and laziness (6:6–11); friendship (3:27–28; 18:24); speech (10:19–21); marriage (18:22; 19:14); child rearing (22:6); domestic peace (15:17; 17:1); work (11:1); getting along and good manners (23:1–2; 25:16–17; 26:17–19; 27:14); eternity (14:32; 23:17–18); and much more. It shows that “godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Tim. 4:8).

  1. God’s will is intensely practical, applying to every aspect of life. A proper relation to God involves trying hard to understand his truth, and then embracing and obeying that truth.
  2. A life lived by God’s will is a happy life (3:21–26).
  3. A life lived by God’s will is a useful life (3:27–28; 12:18, 25).
  4. A life lived by God’s will does not just happen. One must seek after it (9:1–6).

Outline

  1. Title, Goal, and Motto (1:1–7)
  2. A Father’s Invitation to Wisdom (1:8–9:18)
  3. Proverbs of Solomon (10:1–22:16)
  4. The Thirty Sayings of “the Wise” (22:17–24:22)
  5. Further Sayings of “the Wise” (24:23–34)
  6. Hezekiah’s Collection of Solomonic Proverbs (25:1–29:27)
  7. The Sayings of Agur (30:1–33)
  8. The Sayings of King Lemuel (31:1–9)
  9. An Alphabet of Womanly Excellence (31:10–31)
The Global Message of Proverbs

The Global Message of Proverbs

Proverbs: Wisdom for the World

The book of Proverbs is not simply a collection of “wise sayings” for life. It is heaven-sent help for stumbling sinners all over the world from every walk of life who are willing to listen to something other than their own fallen instincts. The “fool” in Proverbs is not someone who lacks intellectual capacity but one who stubbornly lives out of his own fallen intuitions, resisting instruction and correction. Likewise, the wise person in Proverbs is not someone who is intellectually superior but someone who humbly places himself beneath the authority of God. Such wisdom is for all God’s people everywhere.

In his great mercy God has clearly shown wisdom to the world—both through the instruction of his Word and in the person of his Son. The book of Proverbs summarizes true wisdom as rooted in the “fear of the LORD” (Prov. 1:7). In Jesus such wisdom takes on new clarity and glory as the one who is the “wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:24) and who “became to us wisdom from God” (1 Cor. 1:30). God’s global people are to receive such wise instruction, to base their wise living in the fear and worship of God, and to testify to a lost world about God’s saving wisdom.

God’s Wisdom Is Theological and Practical

In one sense wisdom is very much universal. It is difficult to find a culture or tradition without its own legacy of wise sayings. Some of these are culture-specific; others reflect the shared human experience.

Scripture’s admonition and exhortation about wisdom, however, is clear. Our faith is not to rest on man’s wisdom but is to be rooted in God’s power (1 Cor. 2:5). The wisdom of this world is “folly with God” (1 Cor. 3:19). Ultimate wisdom is from God (1 Cor. 1:30) and is revealed by God (1 Cor. 2:7). True wisdom is theological and God-given. Those who lack wisdom are to “ask God” for it (James 1:5). It is the Lord who gives wisdom (Prov. 2:6). In Proverbs 9:10 God’s people are reminded again that, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight” (compare 1:7). True wisdom is not the handy tips for life that get handed down from generation to generation among those who do not know God. True wisdom is divine. It is rooted in God’s own saving revelation to his people.

God’s wisdom is not only theological; it is also practical. Indeed, wisdom is practical because it is theological. Theology impacts daily life, and this is clearly seen in the instruction of Proverbs. Everyday life issues are addressed, including parental relations (Prov. 10:1; 15:20; 19:26; 23:25), marriage (5:18; 12:4; 18:22; 19:13–14; 31:10), money (3:9; 10:4; 11:1; 15:16; 16:11), and the power and danger of words (4:5; 7:5; 10:19; 16:24; 17:27). These are life issues that affect people of every age and place. Proverbs provides a picture of both the blessed life grounded in the fear of the Lord and the danger-filled and foolish life of those who despise the Lord’s wisdom and instruction (1:7).

God’s Wisdom Is Individual and Global

Individual wisdom. For every person, in every place, in every time, the message of Proverbs rings true: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov. 9:10). Wisdom from above is not mere advice or pithy sayings. Rather, the worthiest and most blessed advice flows from God, when he has his proper central place in the heart and worship of each individual created by his hand and in his image.

Global wisdom. The message of Proverbs is also global. This is true, first, because only God’s wisdom comprehensively instructs and skillfully dissects with perfect insight the hearts of mankind from every place and for every time. God’s wisdom is global, second, in that God’s global people are called to global engagement and a global mission. The Lord is not a tribal god. The teaching of Proverbs is not tribal lore. God’s wisdom is eternal and global. And God’s people are called to be instruments, through word and deed, of teaching his wisdom to the world. Those who are wise in God represent God to the world. For example, the wise exhibit generosity to the poor and the needy (Prov. 14:21, 31). The wise in God speak enduring and reliable wisdom to a world desperately looking for life-giving counsel. The wise in God feed even their own enemies (25:21).

Taking God’s Saving Wisdom to the World

In the book of Proverbs the Lord has equipped his people to fulfill his global and eternal purposes. God’s purpose is to reveal himself to and then through a people who will bring eternal blessing to the world, and that purpose is still unfolding around the world today (Matt. 28:18–20). In his kindness God has made known both the path of the wicked (Prov. 4:14) and the path of righteousness (12:28). The one leads to destruction and the other to life (11:19).

When love and grace is observed by the world in the lives of God’s people and supremely in the cross of Christ, it is indeed “folly” to them (1 Cor. 1:18, 21). But “the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Cor. 1:25). The wise in God share the good news of the wisdom of God in the gospel of Christ with nations both near and far. Such sharing, when it lands on receptive ears, is “like cold water to a thirsty soul” (Prov. 25:25).In grace God is opening blind eyes through the gospel to his glorious wisdom. In grace he has shown us and empowered us toward a life of God-honoring, upright living. In grace he will use us as his global ambassadors till the day we join in the angelic choir proclaiming, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen” (Rev. 7:12).

Job Fact #9: Proverbs in Job

Fact: Proverbs in Job

Proverbs in Job. In 17:5, Job may have been quoting a proverb to warn his friends not to make false accusations against him. Proverbs are an effective and memorable way of stating a truth. The book of Proverbs is a rich resource of such wisdom.

Proverbs Fact #1: Wisdom

Fact: Wisdom

Wisdom is a key term in Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. The word can mean “skilled at making sound decisions in life.” Proverbs 9:10 states that “the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.”

Proverbs Fact #4: Garlands

Fact: Garlands

Garlands were wreaths woven from leaves and flowers. They were worn around the head or neck during various celebrations such as weddings. They were also symbols of honor for military success. In Proverbs, they symbolize the honor that comes from following the way of wisdom (4:9).

Proverbs Fact #7: The simple person

Fact: The simple person

The simple person (7:7) is one of the primary character types described in the book of Proverbs. The term describes someone who is immature and easily misled (14:15).

Proverbs Fact #10: A different kind of security

Fact: A different kind of security

A different kind of security. In biblical times, if a person was unable to pay his debt, the consequences could be serious. The whole family could be sold into slavery. If someone put up “security” for another person, he promised to pay that person’s debt if he was unable to do so himself. Proverbs teaches that putting up security for another person is generally unwise, since those who do so risk losing everything if the other person cannot pay his debt (11:15).

Proverbs Fact #27: Gluttony

Fact: Gluttony

Gluttony refers to excessive eating. The Bible condemns gluttony as well as drunkenness. Proverbs teaches that eating and drinking in excess can lead to poverty (23:19–21).

Proverbs Fact #28: Hezekiah’s contribution to Proverbs

Fact: Hezekiah’s contribution to Proverbs

Hezekiah’s contribution to Proverbs. Although most of the Proverbs were collected or written by King Solomon, who reigned from 971–931 B.C., the book of Proverbs did not exist in its present form until the time of King Hezekiah, some 200 years later. Hezekiah and “his men,” probably his scribes, recorded chs. 25–29.

Proverbs Fact #29: Rock badgers

Fact: Rock badgers

Rock badgers are small cliff-dwelling animals closely resembling guinea pigs. They live and forage for food in large groups and are good at hiding. They are best known for posting sentries that alert the group when danger is near. Perhaps it was this mark of wisdom that earned them a mention in Proverbs (30:26).

2 Samuel Fact #17: Kissing

Fact: Kissing

Kissing was a cultural means of showing respect, friendship, or reverence, as it is in many places today. A kiss was often given as a form of greeting or farewell (19:39). There are only three places in all of Scripture where kissing is connected with romance (Prov. 7:13, Song 1:2; 8:1.).

OT Testimony that All Are under Sin (3:9)

OT Testimony that All Are under Sin (3:9)

Romans 3 OT Reference
Sinful Condition
v. 10, none is righteous Ps. 14:3/53:3; Eccles. 7:20
v. 11a, no one understands Ps. 14:2/53:2
v. 11b, no one seeks for God Ps. 14:2/53:2
v. 12, all have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one Ps. 14:3/53:3
Sinful Speech (note progression from throat to tongue to lips)
v. 13a, b, their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive Ps. 5:10, Septuagint (English, 5:9)
v. 13c, the venom of asps is under their lips Ps. 140:3
v. 14, their mouth is full of curses and bitterness Ps. 10:7
Sinful Action
v. 15, their feet are swift to shed blood Prov. 1:16/Isa. 59:7
v. 16, in their paths are ruin and misery Isa. 59:7
v. 17, and the way of peace they have not known Isa. 59:8
Summary Statement
v. 18, there is no fear of God before their eyes Ps. 36:1
Study Notes

Prov. 7:4 Sister in ancient texts sometimes refers to one’s wife, as in Song 5:1. Thus, the idea may be that one should commit himself to Wisdom, rather than the adulteress, as his intended companion.

Study Notes

Prov. 7:6–9 The simple and the young stumble into adultery by putting themselves in the wrong place (v. 8) at the wrong time (v. 9). This is in contrast to the clear instruction of 5:8 to “keep your way from her, and do not go near the door of her house.”

Study Notes

Prov. 7:11–12 The woman is described in terms similar to Wisdom, who cried aloud in the streets and markets (see 1:20–21). But these are the actions of the woman Folly (see 9:13–18). Her actions (loud, wayward, in the street, in the market) show that she has a deceptive heart.

Study Notes
2 Samuel Fact #17: Kissing

Fact: Kissing

Kissing was a cultural means of showing respect, friendship, or reverence, as it is in many places today. A kiss was often given as a form of greeting or farewell (19:39). There are only three places in all of Scripture where kissing is connected with romance (Prov. 7:13, Song 1:2; 8:1.).

Study Notes

Prov. 7:13–20 The woman tries many things to appeal to the young man. She kisses him boldly in public. She flatters him into thinking he is someone special (to meet you, to seek you eagerly, v. 15). She promises sensual delights (vv. 16–18) and assures him that their affair will not be discovered (her husband will not be back anytime soon, vv. 19–20).

Study Notes

Prov. 7:24–25 The narrative of the fool and the trap are meant to instill in the sons the good sense to keep far from such ways or paths. Such caution is learned by obeying the father’s commandments (v. 4). Wisdom will keep them from wayward women (v. 5).

Study Notes

Prov. 7:26–27 The woman promises immediate pleasure, but such pleasure leads to the chambers of death.

S3:006 Proverbs 7

Listen Now

Dive Deeper | Proverbs 7

This passage provides a vivid illustration that when we pursue worldly pleasure and ignore the wisdom of God, pain and death are sure to follow. Much like God sees us, the writer of Proverbs 7 is watching the protagonists in his story (Proverbs 7:6-7). He is like an experienced coach studying game film: he knows what to look for and can identify the smallest [in]actions that lead to failure.  He saw and discerned the "simple" young man's naïveté and lack of judgment (Proverbs 7:7) in wandering where he should not go. The young man passively permitted himself to be in the wrong place, at the wrong time (Proverbs 7:8-9). Compared to the young man's naïveté, the seductive intent of the immoral woman and her intentions were bold and deceitful (Proverbs 7:10-11, 13). She seduced him with her words (Proverbs 7:10-15) and appealed to his physical senses (Proverbs 7:16-17) to lure him into submission. The young man didn't resist; and "as a stag is caught fast" (Proverbs 7:22), he's caught in her fatal snare.

Temptation isn't limited to any particular location or vice, but it boldly goes and lies in wait "at every corner" (Proverbs 7:12). We all are prone to many kinds of temptation. Like Jesus rebuked temptation in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11), God wants us to be aware of Satan's means and methods of temptation so that we can recognize them and resist (Hebrews 4:15).

The passage begins and ends with specific active tense instructions on what we should do to take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5) and rely upon God's wisdom to avoid temptation. Instead of the foolish young man, we can respond like Joseph when tempted by Potiphar's wife: he knew and remembered God's provision; he actively resisted temptation; and when that failed, he ran for his life. Like athletes devote themselves to studying game film, we should learn to identify our own specific [in]actions and tendencies that lead us into temptation and toward sin, so that we can apply God's wisdom and deliverance (1 Corinthians 10:13).

This month's memory verse

with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

– Ephesians 4:2

Discussion Questions

1. Do you identify with the "young man" in Proverbs 7? Do you find yourself in compromising situations, wonder how you even got there, and find that it seems difficult or impossible to extricate yourself from them? If the young man sets his mind on wisdom and desires to avoid this temptation in the future, what does a review of his "game film" suggest that he could do differently?

2. What does your game film say about your weak spots?   What places, people, or circumstances frequently precede your times of temptation? What wise decisions do you need to make to avoid making these mistakes?  

3. What new habits or practices can you implement to walk with the wise and righteous who will remind you of Scripture and the Lord's wisdom in any and all circumstances? Are you in community or do you have a faithful friend involved in your life to help you review and clearly see your "game film"?

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SB

Sue Bohlin

Great, great devo, Scott! Really excellent discussion questions. I was just part of a pastoral care meeting dealing with the emotional, spiritual, financial and physical fallout of someone acting like the naive young man. All your discussion questions would have helped him avoid the catastrophe if he'd followed your (and Solomon's) good counsel. Ricky Chelette of Living Hope Ministries has been teaching for years, "Every time you sin, something dies." It may not be our bodies, but SOMETHING is going to die. Solomon's story in Proverbs 7 illustrates that. I appreciated this wisdom from Dr. Constable's commentary: "“Stupid animals see no connection between traps and death, and morally stupid people see no connection between their sin and death."
HS

Hugh Stephenson

In conversations with the church staff over the years I have heard consistently that in a pastoral setting the most frequent issue is for a member to have an incorrect view of God. That phenomenon seems to be at the root of many, many problems, including my own. Reprising…the key pieces of my post-sobriety journey was to answer the three questions- Who is God? Who am I? Why am I here? In the struggles with unhealthy coping mechanisms like alcohol, porn, over work, overeating, overspending etc. I can look back and see quite clearly that an incorrect view of God was at the center. Not only did I lack an answer to the questions- but I also didn’t even know what the questions were. What makes this sin path so dangerous is how close, easy, and effective the “answer” is; 2-3 quick drinks, that wrong web site, a new item from Amazon, on-line gambling, getting lost in unhealthy fantasies etc. These are easy solutions because that’s exactly what Satan wants. Spending extended time in Bible study, verse memory, equipping classes, prayer etc is not attractive when the familiar salve is an arm’s reach away and only takes a few minutes to do the job.
HS

Hugh Stephenson

I co-led re:gen open groups for a year or so 2015/2016. We’d have about 25 guys in a group all arranged in a huge circle. I would lead off and my co leader would close out. At the end I’d give a short encouragement/observation and then we’d end in prayer. Almost every Monday night during that season I saw that virtually every guy under 40 confessed that porn was his primary struggle. It became clear to me that God was using the healing of my struggle to help them with theirs. What is even more impactful was the lead role sexual sin played in Israel and Judah during the Monarchy period. It seemed consistently that was how horrific apostasies and idolatries were expressed.
HS

Hugh Stephenson

In the NT I see two stories of how Jesus handled sexual sin; the woman at the well in John 4 and the woman caught in adultery in John 8, (I know that the earliest manuscripts don’t contain this passage. Nonetheless, I have read and been taught that there are many scholars that consider it to be legit.) In both instances the woman does not have a clear understanding of who God is. In John 4 the disciples don’t understand the what and why of Jesus’s actions. A class I took focused on the passage in John 8- In it the Scribe and Pharisees bring the woman to Jesus to test Him as to whether or not he will agree with the Mosaic law on the penalty for adultery. Here’s the passage- “The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.” In the class the teacher asked- “Why is he writing with his finger on the ground”? And why did He do it a 2nd time? Below is an extended comment from Constable. I have only included part of the whole. It’s a bit long but I ask you to read it slowly. This comment and the class teaching is very edifying in giving me a deeper understanding of who God is. I also see that the Scribes and Pharisees show, once again, that their concept of God is tragically flawed. The sixth and eighth paragraph below are the key- “There have been several suggestions about what Jesus may have written in the dust, all of which are guesses: Perhaps He wrote the words of Jeremiah 17:13b: "Those who turn away on earth will be written down, because they have forsaken the fountain of living water, that is the LORD."[590] Perhaps He wrote Exodus 23:1b: "Do not join your hand with a wicked person to be a malicious witness."[591] Perhaps He wrote the sins of the woman's accusers. Jesus may have written the same words that He proceeded to speak, giving a visual as well as an audible decision. If the account of this incident is complete, the writer must have felt that what Jesus wrote was secondary to His writing action, since John did not identify what He wrote. Perhaps Jesus was reminding the scribes and Pharisees that God had originally written the Ten Commandments with His finger (Exodus 31:18). Jesus' act reminds the reader of this and so suggests that Jesus is God, the Lawgiver.[592] His writing on the ground may have symbolized His ratification of God's moral law.[593] Another possibility is that just as God gave the Old Covenant by writing with His finger, so God (Jesus) was giving the New Covenant by writing with His finger.” This last paragraph is the key point that was made in the class. Jesus was communicating the New Covenant in this manner just as God communicated the Old Covenant in this manner. The Scribes and Pharisees were not interested in justice for the woman, only in a political move against Jesus. Otherwise the man would have been brought to Jesus also. They only wanted their idea of God to be verified or to trick Jesus into a violation of the law. The class closed noting that Jesus forgave the woman for her sin. But also gave the Scribe and Pharisees forgives. My takeaway- The greatest joy of the journey of discipleship is that it never ends. There will consistently be new revelations of how God’s character is manifested. Lamentations 3:22-23
MS

Michael Scaman

A perfect storm of wisdom - a trilogy Cultivating the Soul's Bloom: Proverbs 7 Counsel, as if by John Piper In the orchard of your soul, let my words abide, As the cherished apple in your eye's sweet guide. Should lesser charms entice your heart's delight, Beware, for they may lure you into shadows of night. Listen up Young-Blood from Proverbs 7 as if by a probation officer to a young man Listen up, young blood. Sister Wisdom's your ride-or-die, Keep her tight for guidance, laying down orders and discipline, no lie. When life throws choices, let her talk steer your moves, On the grind, build integrity in unity, let wisdom's whispers groove. Victory's in rolling with wisdom's counsel, stay sharp, stay true. Threat assessment from Proverbs 7 as if by Sarge Soldiers, pay attention. There's a potential threat in the vicinity. A woman, dressed deceptively, is moving with unpredictable behavior. She's loud, wayward, and often found in public spaces, posing a potential risk. Beware of her attempts to lure you into compromising situations. She may use persuasive speech and promises to manipulate. Do not follow her, as it could lead to severe consequences, akin to walking into a trap. Stay vigilant, stick to the mission, and avoid any distractions that may compromise your safety or the mission's success.
LD

Lindsey Driscoll

Great devo Steve, and an incredibly helpful set of questions to help us see where our sin leads and how we can flee from destruction. It’s interesting to me that we only see death for the young man as his consequence. Proverbs 8:22-23. “Like a deer steeping into a noose till an arrow pierces his liver.” Just like sudden death for a hunted animal. Q2. I love the metaphor of reviewing our game film and asking myself in the moment “what was I thinking on?” Was I “storing up Gods commends within me? (Proverbs 7:1).
GJ

greg jones

The thing about temptation, if it’s not tempting it’s not really temptation. It’s easy for me to think of wisdom only in binary terms like, wisdom=rightness, honesty, trust\unwise=foolishness, dishonesty, untrustworthy. Proverbs 7 presents a scenario, I really like the game film scenario, where it certainly seems like the young man, falls, into temptation. He should have known better is a fair assessment the way we typically read it. Wisdom should be considered outside of just binary terms. This- She seizes him and kisses him, and [[[with bold face]]] she says to him, “I had to offer sacrifices, and today I have paid my vows; so now I have come out to meet you, to seek you eagerly, and I have found you. Caused me to recall this. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna30254 The link is a similar scenario that has a negative outcome. In this case, for the victim, was she unwise? If she was unwise is she equal to-foolish, dishonest, untrustworthy? As Sue mentioned in her comment quoting Ricky Chelette I can see where something in her dies after her experience. Sometimes wisdom is knowing that your trust and honesty aren’t your deficits when they have been manipulated. And if for some reason honesty and trust has been murdered in your life resurrecting them is not necessarily foolishness.
KH

Kacy Holmes

Wonderful devotional, Steve! It is a clear reminder that when we don’t follow God, we are moving away from him. We may or may not experience physical death as a direct result of our sinful [in]actions, but we will certainly experience spiritual death, loss of communion with God, when we fail to actively pursue Him and His will for us. I, too, love the game film metaphor! I love the commercials, too, that have every day folks asking for the instant replay of what was just said. Thankfully, God can help us replay our “game film” in our minds of the choices we’ve made, actions we took or didn’t take, words we spoke or didn’t speak to those we encounter each day. With God’s kind help, He can show us how to make amends and right our paths.
AL

Amy Lowther

1. Yes, sometimes I will pointlessly wander or waste time and achieve nothing for my efforts. If I waste time when I should actually be doing something, I usually get in trouble. By going to God, I don’t waste as much time, and I achieve more. The young man could have not gone near the woman at all and faced what he was doing before he left to see the woman. 2. I want “34 hours” out of a “24 hour” day. Anything in the world precedes my temptations because temptations can happen anywhere anytime. God’s advice is good and helps me do good. Spending a little time reading in the Bible each day is also a good decision to help things be good. 3. There’s nothing right now though I do have community and friends to review game films with frequently. Steve - Thank you for sharing your ideas. You make a good point in saying “Temptation isn't limited to any particular location or vice, but it boldly goes and lies in wait "at every corner" (Proverbs 7:12)”. Temptations are everywhere, but if we use God’s advice in choosing things and in making decisions, we will see things for what they are without being tempted.