Interestingly, each time we read through proverbs, “The Woman” emerges. To the devil’s great pleasure, we read it literally and directed it toward every sexually addicted male. It is porn, prostitutes, or just regular unfaithfulness to one’s spouse. We fail to see the foundational truth in the warning. It is much more profound.
16 So you will be delivered from the forbidden woman,
from the adulteress with her smooth words,
17 who forsakes the companion of her youth
and forgets the covenant of her God;
18 for her house sinks down to death,
and her paths to the departed;
19 none who go to her come back,
nor do they regain the paths of life.
Without fail, in any coed bible study, a grandmother will blurt out, “It’s the pornography that is killing our men.” I agree with this statement. However, the opinion is so powerful that the reaction to it often overshadows the underlying truth. A more sobering reality lies just beneath the surface. There are characteristics the woman possesses that apply to other areas of our lives. The root of foolishness and evil is the same.
She has smooth words
She has forsaken relationships
She has not kept the promises of God
She has not fulfilled
She has no profit
She has hidden the truth
To see the devil’s handy work we must now replace “The Woman” with “The Worry”. Worry has smooth words. It forsakes relationships. It does not hold fast to the promises of God. It is empty with no profit. Worry hides the truth.
Put any sin or vice after “The,” and the devil’s trick becomes clear. We deceive ourselves if we believe Solomon only speaks about sexual immorality. The foundation of the truth here is that all sin acts like “The Woman.” She is one of many disguises.
Humility knows the path is narrow. Pride thinks you can walk the path alone. We often need others in front and behind us to help keep us on the path. It reminds me of “The Hobbit” when Bilbo and the dwarfs walk through Mirkwood. Deception is thick anywhere other than the path. If we are not careful to recognize her, there is little chance for us to regain the path.
Nos & Rehtaf, Dnabsuh 