Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Jerry Rhinehart:
Proverbs 5 (NIV)
Warning Against Adultery
5 My son, pay attention to my wisdom, turn your ear to my words of insight, 2 that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge. 3 For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil; 4 but in the end, she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword. 5 Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave. 6 She gives no thought to the way of life; her paths wander aimlessly, but she does not know it. 7 Now then, my sons, listen to me; do not turn aside from what I say. 8 Keep to a path far from her, do not go near the door of her house, 9 lest you lose your honor to others and your dignity to one who is cruel, 10 lest strangers feast on your wealth and your toil enrich the house of another. 11 At the end of your life, you will groan, when your flesh and body are spent. 12 You will say, “How I hated discipline! How my heart spurned correction! 13 I would not obey my teachers or turn my ear to my instructors. 14 And I was soon in serious trouble in the assembly of God’s people.” 15 Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well. 16 Should your springs overflow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares? 17 Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers. 18 May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. 19 A loving doe, a graceful deer— may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be intoxicated with her love. 20 Why, my son, be intoxicated with another man’s wife?
Why embrace the bosom of a wayward woman? 21 For your ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all your paths. 22 The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare them; the cords of their sins hold them fast. 23 For lack of discipline, they will die, led astray by their own great folly.
Martin Luther said, “We can’t do anything about the birds flying over our heads, but we can keep them building a nest in our hair.” How does that metaphor fit with this chapter?
Lord, there is a constant barrage of temptations that we are exposed to each and every day. Most are easy to ignore, but some make us hesitate. The temptations originating from the devil or the world are external to us and if we don’t give in to them they are only temptations. But when we have internal temptations originating from our own hearts that is a more serious matter. When we cave to the evil desires of temptation, especially when it comes to sexual activity outside of marriage, it is not only a sinful act but it cuts deep into our heart and damages the relationship of our spouse, family, and everyone around us. Rationalization becomes strong to justify the behavior. We look for reasons why it was ok in our situation we keep a laundry list. We isolate ourselves from friends and situations that cause guilt and become shady and distant to hide our sin. It is a slippery slope that usually ends up causing pain, heartbreak, and severed relationships we carry for the rest of our life. Things get messy, entangled, and gnarly like a nest in our hair. Help us remember that all of our ways are in full view of You, and unfaithfulness also damages our relationship with You. Lord, keep me free from being entangled in the messiness of sin against others, especially sexual sin. Keep me in Your Word and in fellowship with other believers to keep me strong. Protect my heart so that I am true to You, to my spouse, to my family and to myself. Help me to intentionally focus on the good things about my spouse and make the effort to make my spouse and family feel my love through my actions and involvement in their lives. Let me avoid outside temptations swarming over my head, by not partaking in movies, internet, books, activities where sex is being openly solicited that can plant evil seeds in my heart. Keep Your Spirit alive in my heart so I cherish relationships with my spouse and with You. Thank you for the gift of marriage keep the birds out of my hair. Amen