Imagine that every day you passed by the top of a huge cliff from which many people had unwittingly fallen to their deaths. It's really fun to see the view from the edge of the cliff. It doesn't look unsafe. But so many people have died by getting too
close. How would you treat that cliff? Wouldn’t you stay far away from it?
Over the edge
Read Proverbs 7:22
Until this point, there has been hope for this guy. He has been tempted and lied to, but there has still been a chance that he might escape.
• What does he do here?
• What do the images tell us about what is happening (not that he can see it, of course)?
Now his fate is sealed. He has been driven along by his instincts, ignoring reason. Now he’s an animal thrashing in a trap.
Read Proverbs 7:26
• Is it a rare event for adultery to destroy people (v 26)?
The temptress is pictured as a warrior. Though she is just one woman, the bones of her victims are strewn all over her house. She has laid low a mighty throng. She looked like a beautiful woman offering a night of consequence-free pleasure. In reality, she was a cold-blooded killer. The cellar of her house is a chamber of death.
Stay away from the edge!
Read Proverbs 7:24
Wisdom is extremely valuable and extremely practical. You want to avoid sin that will destroy your life? Perhaps you’re married—you want to preserve your relationships? Then you will need wisdom! And so Solomon tells his son again to listen wisdom rather than the seductive woman.
No sane person would try to see how far they could lean out over the Grand Canyon without falling. Wise people stay far away from danger. It’s much easier to resist temptation from a distance than once it is up close.
Don’t get close to the cliff-edge!
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APPLY
• Where in your life are you allowing temptation to get close to you?
• What would it look like to avoid it?
• What changes should you make?
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PRAY
Pray that God would help you to be wise and see the consequences of sin clearly.
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This devotional is taken from Explore—a daily Bible-reading devotional from the good book company which enables you to engage with Scripture and which will encourage, equip and inspire you to live for Christ. Explore features contributions from pastors such as Dr Timothy Keller, Mike McKinley and Tim Chester.
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