Proverbs 6: King James Bible
Playing with Fire – Daily Devotion of Proverbs chapter six, Verses
25 Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids. 26 For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.
27 Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned? 28 Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned? 29 So he that goeth in to his neighbor’s wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.
Daily Inspiration from These Verses – Playing with Fire
In a previous devotion, we spoke a little bit about Fidelity. And we’ve also spoken about the Strange Woman, looking at it from a less obvious point of view than what’s on the surface.
We can do the same here, but it benefits us to understand that the meaning we can see on the surface, is just as serious as the other layer of meaning which is spiritual.
Firstly, the majority of the verses we read in the book of Proverbs are worded as a Father speaking to his son. So looking at these verses from a physical or flesh point of view, it makes sense that the Father’s got allot to say about evil, strange, adulterous women.
But were he speaking to a daughter, all of the same things could be said about men. I thought I’d just throw this piece of understanding in there, should someone think that God’s just picking on the girls.
After reading these a few times over, you get the sense that these are being said to someone who isn’t prone to go out and commit adultery, or any of the things that would lead up to it. These seem to be more of a warning against the aggressor.
The Word says not to lust after her in our heart, nor to take her with our eyes. How many sins could we count that have innocent beginnings? Once a thing becomes established in the heart, iniquity begins to take root. Pornography is the ultimate example.
In an article from 2014 found on LifeSiteNews.com, they cite therapist Dr. Jill Manning, who’s research found that approx. 56% of divorces involve a spouse with a pornography obsession. That is iniquity taking root in the heart, and eventually producing change in a person.
Once the heart changes, the mind changes. As the mind changes, then actions that once seemed abominable, don’t seem as bad as they once did. Eventually trouble bubbles to the surface, and “mistakes” (which are done on purpose by the way) happen.
The thing is, this world is against all things that have to do with the Lord, and all of the things that are important to him. Purity, marriages, family in general, is constantly in the cross hairs.
Many things are accepted in this society in this day and age. That doesn’t mean that something accepted is right. Those who play with fire will get burned, and they’ll be getting burned because of their decision to love and follow the world, rather than love and follow the Father, who authored their very lives.
Adultery is a big deal to the Father. Isn’t marriage what the Father gave us as an example between he and us? We who are Christians should know this better than anyone, yet there are just as many Christians who don’t act like it, than those who don’t know Christ.
We all make mistakes, but when we know better, it’s not a mistake. It’s flat out sin.
Related New Testament Scripture
Matthew 5: King James Bible
28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Romans 2: King James Bible
22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?
Revelation 2: King James Bible
22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.
Prayer
Father,
You know our hearts, the things that we’ve done, and whether or not we’ve been conditioned by the world and through iniquity, to think favorably of the things that you detest. Please root out of each us, all of the things that would keep us from living and moving inside your perfect will. Lead us away from all of the temptations of this world, as we know that you tempt no man, and deliver us from all of the evils that this world tries to stain us with. We pray this in the name of the Lord Jesus, the Christ and King of Kings.
Amen
Question
Have you been playing with fire lately?