Proverbs 5-7
Tactics of The Enemy
Drink water from your own cistern, And fresh water from your own well. Proverbs 5:15 NASB
Solomon's son is still in the elementary years so Solomon is repeating over and over the importance of getting wisdom. He knows wisdom must be established. Wisdom is a strong foundation for life. Jesus told us about a wise man who built his house on the rock. He said that when the rain came and the flood rose and the wind blew and beat against the house, it did not fall for it was established on the rock. He also told of a man who built his house upon the sand. When the same elements hit, the house crashed down because there was sand for a foundation. (see Matthew 7:24-29)
I remember seeing a house built in the open desert in Mexico where the wind was not blocked by other structures or vegetation. The house had a slab of concrete for a foundation. Over the years the wind had blown the sand away from the edges until the slab was undermined and the house was falling into the hole and was no longer inhabitable.
Shifting sands of thinking come blowing in from time to time. Sometimes we call them fads. They can be style changes, trends, or the new popular ideas that promise happiness, hope, excitement, get rich quick, or peace from the consequences of the last wind of thinking that blew in that we got sucked into. The fads I am talking about are a form of temptation. In these early chapters Solomon repeats warnings about the dangers of temptations. Temptation that causes us to fall is like the bait that is put on the trigger of the trap. It promises instant gratification, and the anticipation is exciting. It appeals to our impatience and pride. We say to ourself, "I am going for it." "No need to really think this through I don't have time." In fact that is how it is often presented, "act now before it is too late". Interestingly enough it seems to show up when things are not going well; We are tired, had a stressful day, or an argument. We tend to focus on ourselves and how miserable we are. That is when the immoral woman shows up with words so sweet, so smooth, but what is about to come is unknown to the unwise victim. Chapter 5:3&4
He doesn’t think he will care, but he will, so he enters into temptation blindly. His eyes will soon be open and he will not like what he sees but it will be too late.
Not all temptations are as destructive as the one described in this chapter. But they are all very similar in nature and all result in disappointment or regret. They get us off the path and keep us off the path much longer than we planned to stay. In many cases it is impossible to undo what we have done.
Solomon warns us over and over, to not even think about going there. Instead get established in wisdom. Build your experiences upon the foundation of wisdom. It delivers what it promises.
May the Lord bless you with wisdom today.
Pastor Dave