Daily Devotional for Monday, September 8

The Woman in the Street

“For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil,” Proverbs 5:3.

It seems that hardly a day goes by when some “important” person gets caught up in some sort of scandal, and it almost always seems to revolve around sex. Entertainers and politicians seem to head the list; however, religious leaders of various kinds are not far behind. People love it when a preacher falls, especially those people who reject God, Jesus or any other religion. Why is that? It is because it justifies their rejection. Why bother believing in God when the people who follow God are so bad themselves? “I can be good without any sky daddy telling me what to do.” I have heard atheists say that or something very close many times.

This proverb described the entire path of sin in which believers can be entangled. It begins with a desire that is within us. It may be one God placed in us. Food, sex, passion for success and many other desires were placed in us by God Himself. They serve His ends and even bring enjoyment to our lives. As long as we use these things in the God-ordained way, we pleasing Him. In this case, the person described in the Proverb had stepped out of bounds and committed adultery. We see the progression from natural desire to enticement to sin, to the commission of sin and finally, the punishment for sin.

How do we avoid this trap? This proverb tells us that as well. “Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house” (Proverbs 5:8). This is not difficult. Do you know the things that tempt you and possibly are problems? Stay away from them! If drink were my problem, why would I go into a bar?

JUST A THOUGHT

If we keep our eyes on God and His Word, the temptations surrounding us will not reach us so easily.

Wally Fry