Read
Wisdom and Sexual Purity
16Wisdom will protect you
from the smooth talk
of a sinful woman,
17who breaks her wedding vows
and leaves the man she married
when she was young.
18The road to her house leads
down
to the dark world
of the dead.
19Visit her, and you will never
find the road to life again.
Reflect
Smooth talkers come in both genders. They are clever and deceitful and their advice can be fatal. Following their counsel could lead to your peril.
I travel a lot as part of my job. I rely heavily on maps and road signs, and these days I rely more and more on my GPS. Recently while on a family vacation with my grandchildren, my GPS led us astray. It was supposed to take us from one city to another in the Rocky Mountains. To my chagrin, it guided us further and further off the beaten track until the road turned to gravel and narrowed to one lane. My instinct and the signs around me made it clear that the directions were wrong. The van was full of nervous passengers, and my wife warned me of impending danger.
Yet the familiar voice of the GPS instructed me to keep going forward, even though wisdom said to turn around. I followed the directions of the GPS. Eventually the dirt road ended and we were forced to backtrack. I had to eat humble pie and admit I had made an error.
Proverbs tells us that wisdom often goes against the flow of the smooth-talking crowd. We must learn to discern the moral compass of wisdom and avoid being trapped in the snare of deceit.
When we find ourselves lured in a direction that goes against our conscience, our understanding of God and good everyday common sense, we need to stop and recalibrate the GPS system of our heart and go in a different direction.
Respond
Father God, I know I can’t always rely on the advice and direction of others. I must learn to protect myself by discerning your direction for my life. Guide me and give me wisdom. Amen.
Barry Slauenwhite
Dr. Barry Slauenwhite is Canadian Regional Director for Best Christian Workplaces Instiute. He is also President Emeritus of Compassion Canada where he has served since 1983. Barry's advocacy for the poor has taken him to 61 countries. From his experience as a pastor and a ministry leader, he passionately works to promote holistic child development through the local church as being the most effective kingdom-building strategy available to the Christian world. Barry's latest book, Strategic Compassion, addresses the theological implications of poverty and draws a conclusion that the gospel is the most effective tool the church has to eradicate poverty.