The Nitty-Gritty Truth
As we
begin to look at proverbs 5 I think we have a literally analogy that has far
reaching truth if we also accept it as a figurative analogy. The words that jumped out at me as I read
this were: “the lips of a forbidden woman drip honey and her speech is smoother
than oil. But in the end she is bitter
as wormwood and sharp as a two edged sword.”
I love this description.
I love
this description. I love it on a very
gritty, real, physical level. How many
of us know the temptation of a physical forbidden fruit! For us men, how many of us can say that we’ve
never wanted that intimate moment with woman that catches our eye? How many of us men cannot honestly confess
that our eyes have lingered longer – far longer than they should – on that
woman with whom we have no right to let our eyes linger? How many of us men cannot confess to having
thoughts in the back of our mind for far longer than we should allow them to
take up residence? {And for the record, I’d ask the same of women … but being a man I only
know what tempts a man. So women, I’m
going to trust that you can ask yourself a similar set of questions appropriate
for that which women lust after.}
What is
the fruit of such lust in our eyes and our mind? Is it ever good? Does anything good ever come out of looking
too long at something that is forbidden?
Fundamentally, does anything good ever come out of lingering on
something that is inherently rooted in the flesh? When we truly pursue the desires of our own
fleshly heart, do we not always end up with a bitter and unsatisfied taste in
the end?
This leads
me to the more figurative understanding.
Is it only a physical lust to which these thoughts apply? If we were to change this to “money” instead
of women, is the teaching any different?
What about “cars?” What about
“shoes?” What about “jewelry?” What about “the size of my house?” What about “clothing labels?” What about “vacation destinations?” What about “education level?” Is anything of this world exempt from leaving
a bitter taste if we pursue it apart from God’s will? If I long for – or lust after – something
that God does not desire – thus, forbidden – will I not always taste the
bitterness of life and feel the double-edge sword?
Then we
are to hear that we are to not go near to “her.” {Or figuratively, “it.”} That path leads to Sheol {The place of the
dead.} The pursuit of things that are
apart from God is a path of death and a life lived in which true life is not
even the goal! The pursuit of things
that are apart from God is a path of un-discipline. It is forsaking the very attributes in this
life that make things like community, fellowship, and peace even possible.
Wow. That last sentence really hit me as I
finished it. I’ve known it for a long
time, but I guess I haven’t pondered it for a while. The reason we do not have peace with
ourselves and with one another is because we pursue things that are not of
God. We do not have peace because our
hearts are focused on our own desires. I
think that point is readily clear with respect to peace with one another. Whenever I lift up my so-called
rights/desires above your so-called rights/desires conflict is inevitable.
But what
really struck me today is the application of that thought inward. For decades I have struggled with
depression. At a few points during my
teenage years, my depression almost got the best of me. It has been a lifelong struggle that I fight
and have resigned to likely fight all of my life.
I’ve heard
it said that depression is anger turned inwards. Today, that phrase makes a ton of sense. For me … why am I depressed? I am depressed because I see my choices and
how I’ve failed. I’ve failed because
I’ve chosen to pursue things that are apart from God. I am angry with myself for not being able to
choose the paths of God like I should. I
am not at peace with myself because there is a part of me that enjoys choosing
a path apart from the love and truth of God.
In the
end, I think the author of this proverb speaks well. In a literal sense, the advice is for people
to long for the ones that are not forbidden.
A husband is to long for his wife.
A wife is to long for her husband.
That is phenomenal spiritual advice!
On a
figurative level, it is also great advice.
We should long for that which is not forbidden. Desire the things, people, and thoughts of
God. Drink from the cistern from which
He desires you to drink. This is
wonderful, wonderful advice.
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