The first nine chapters of Proverbs contain ten speeches given by a father to his son. They are easy to locate in our One Year Chronological Bibles because each speech has its own heading. There are three speeches in our reading today, two about avoiding immoral relationships, and one with other practical lessons for daily life.

You may have noticed that women show up a lot in Proverbs.

In four passages (1:20-33, 3:13-20, 8:1-36 and 9:1-18), wisdom is personified as a virtuous woman who instructs the naïve, guides the young, and rebukes the foolish. Proverbs 31:10-31 portrays a woman who successfully applies practical wisdom to every part of her life. Both of these ideals personify what people should look for when they go looking for wisdom.

Between these two exemplary women are some other women who behave foolishly. They drag themselves, and the men who desire them, down to destruction.

Avoid Immorality

Solomon supports getting married and being faithful in marriage. He warns his son against casual sex and explains what to watch out for so he doesn’t fall into sin. An attractive woman who wants to draw a man astray may be a smooth talker, but her flirtation and flattery mask the dangers in her seduction.

“For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil; but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave” Proverbs 5:3-5

This woman has lost her way. She lives for the moment and doesn’t think about tomorrow.

“She gives no thought to the way of life; her paths wander aimlessly, but she does not know it.” Proverbs 5:6

Run for Your Life!

A wise young man runs away from such a woman. As tempting as her offers sound, they lead to sorrow. A man can lose his reputation by getting into a wrong relationship. By foolishly making himself vulnerable he may be taken advantage of in other ways and end up losing everything. Sin can become a pit he can’t climb out of.

“At the end of your life you will groan, when your flesh and body are spent. You will say, ‘How I hated discipline! How my heart spurned correction! . . . And I was soon in serious trouble in the assembly of God’s people.” Proverbs 5:11-12, 14

For those who think they can avoid judgment by staying away from God’s people, Solomon has this reminder:

“For your ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all your paths.” Proverbs 5:21

God’s Plan for Love and Marriage

God is in favor of people being in love and having satisfying relationships; that’s why he created marriage. His plan is that a man should marry, be devoted to his wife and be intoxicated by her love for a lifetime. That’s the ideal scenario.

But the thing to remember about Proverbs is that it presents probabilities, not promises. It gives the probable outcome of different choices, but there are always exceptions.

If a man has an adulterous affair, the outcome is probably not going to be good. If he persists in the relationship, hurting others and acting as if it doesn’t matter, it will likely put him on a slippery slope to a sad end. A good rule for life is to avoid intimate relationships with people who cheat on their spouses. But sometimes people appear to get away with it.

When a couple have a loving marriage and are faithful to each other, the probability is that they will have a satisfying life together. There’s no reason to look elsewhere for love because they have each other. The principle for life here is to look for someone who wants to be devoted to loving one other person for life. But sometimes people change and things fall apart.

So there are exceptions; not every adulterous affair ends in destruction, and not every long-term marriage is happy. But the highest probability for a happy life lies in being loving, faithful, and devoted to one’s spouse for a lifetime.

A Collection of Lessons for Life

King Solomon warned his son against obligating himself in other people’s financial affairs. Don’t put up security for someone else’s debts; don’t make promises you aren’t prepared to keep. If you have already done that, find a way to get out of it.

“Do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go – to the point of exhaustion – and give your neighbor no rest! Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids. Free yourself, like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the snare of the fowler.” Proverbs 6:3-5

Understanding how exhausting it can be to recover from bad financial obligations should help people avoid them in the first place.

Don’t Be Lazy

Ants are a good example of how to prosper. They don’t need to be constantly reminded what to do; they stick to their business. They put away food while there is plenty available, then when winter comes they can live off what they have stored up. Of course, people aren’t ants so most of us will never be as methodical as an ant, but we can learn from them.

And one of the things we can learn from ants is not to be lazy.

“How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, and a little folding of the hands to rest – and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.” Proverbs 6:9-11

Solomon gives his son a list of things God hated to see in people. These were things for his son to avoid doing, but they are also things to look out for in the lives of other people. Don’t commit yourself to people who are haughty; liars; hurtful to other people; schemers who make wicked plans; false witnesses who make up stories; or who love to create chaos in the community. Nothing good can come from associating with such people.

Wisdom Protects

If Solomon’s son listened to his dad he was saved from a world of trouble. Solomon suggested that he keep track of these lessons.

“Bind them always on your heart; fasten them around your neck. When you walk they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you. For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life.” Proverbs 6:21-23

One More Warning About Immoral Relationships

Because Solomon was the wisest man in the world, he must have known what he was talking about. He sounds extreme sometimes, but he probably saw first hand what he describes in these Proverbs, especially when it came to adultery.

“But a man who commits adultery has no sense; whoever does so destroys himself. Blows and disgrace are his lot, and his shame will never be wiped away. For jealousy arouses a husband’s fury, and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge. He will not accept compensation; he will refuse a bribe, however great it is.” Proverbs 6:32-35

It sounds like Solomon might have seen this case in his Hall of Justice – and adjudicated it himself.

But Solomon wasn’t done with the topic of adultery yet. He went on to relate something else he had seen.

“At the window of my house I looked down through the lattice. I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who had no sense. He was going down the street near her corner, walking in the direction of her house at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in.” Proverbs 7:6-9

This young man looked like an insect flying aimlessly toward a spider’s web.

“Then out came a woman to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent . . . With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk. All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter . . .” Proverbs 7:10, 21-22

Pay Attention!

What a cautionary tale! Tie it back to everything else Solomon said about the perils of adultery and Solomon’s son would have been well prepared to avoid that kind of immoral behavior – but only if he paid attention.

“Now then, my son, listen to me; pay attention to what I say.” Proverbs 7:24

Every parent knows how frustrating it is to teach important lessons to indifferent children and hope for the best. We don’t know how this son of Solomon responded to what he heard, but at least his father did a thorough job of warning him.

And because he wrote all of this down, we get to learn from Solomon’s wisdom, too.