How does God talk to us?

Probing Proverbs 2:16–19 Wisdom will save you from the immoral woman, from the seductive words of the promiscuous woman.  She has abandoned her husband and ignores the covenant she made before God. Entering her house leads to death; it is the road to the grave. The man who visits her is doomed. He will never reach the paths of life.

We must remember that when we read a Proverb like this, there are four players. There is the Word of God giving instruction, there is ourselves, with our ability to choose whether or not to listen to the instruction, there is the enemy, who will try to deceive us, and there is the Lord, Who has great desires for us, yet most times leaves that choice to us. God is committed fully to us, because He is faithful to keep His Word. Treating us like robots would not accomplish His plan for maturing us to reflect Him. It is essential that we remember that when God’s Words states, “Wisdom will save you from the immoral woman” it is understood that this will be true, IF you listen and follow that advice. Wisdom gives you the ability to process the words that you hear so you can understand what is really being communicated.

Here, wisdom takes the immoral woman’s “seductive words,” and enlightens your understanding, whereas, the enemy and your flesh tries to convince you that you are being flattered! “Promiscuous” is defined as  “sexually indiscriminate”.

Wisdom opens your eyes to the fact that this woman has no respect for her word; she will leave you for someone else as soon as she loses interest in you, just like she left her husband for you. Meanwhile you have fallen into sin and damaged your relationship with God, and if married, with your spouse. Also interesting is the description of this woman. She abandoned her husband, and she has broken the covenant she made with God when she entered into marriage. So many today fail to take that truth into account when ending their marriage. Marriage is not just between 2 humans beings, this is a covenant that includes God.

It is also important that we not believe this passage is ONLY about an immoral woman. That is the subject, but there are key principles included in the specific teaching. Yes – though this woman seems appealing, if you try to play with her, you will pay a heavy price. But that truth extends to any sin, doesn’t it? It does not have to be sex, it can be the desire for money, or fame, or position. The principle Wisdom is communicating is – Stay far away! 

Don’t even enter the thought of it. The road this desire is on will lead you away from life! Sin is so appealing, that’s why we struggle so, but if we choose to count the cost first, and not be enticed by our emotions, we will choose to stay far away. It is far easier to resist the curiosity of the taste, than it is to have tasted a little and then try to stop. Ask any addict! I know that I wish with all my heart I had left pornography as only a curiosity, instead of experiencing the taste of this sin. I am free now, and that is because of the Lord’s love for me, but I work with countless men, and some women, that are still slaves to this. They would agree, like anyone that is addicted to drugs, power, material things, whatever, it would have been far easier to deal only with the unknown, than to have experienced that sin.

Memory is a very powerful tool that can also be used for evil! Take the wisdom of this Proverb –“The man who visits “whatever sin” (my paraphrase) is doomed. He will never reach the paths of life.

The so what? How far away do you stay from sin? Do you know when you are letting your standards slip? Have you really thought about what you desire your life to count for, or do you just follow your emotions? What are you doing to guard your heart? Do you meditate on God’s Wisdom?