The Proverbs are really good wisdom writings. I remember as a young college student taking home one of those pocket-sized New Testaments that the Gideons would pass out on campus. I'd flip to the Proverbs and read some and be impressed with how relevant they were to daily living. As funny as it sounds, I was amazed that it was as smart as (and smarter) than the pop philosophy that I was listening to (Jim Morrison of The Doors and Kerry Livgren of Kansas). It's good stuff.
Proverbs 3 covers a lot of ground, including just seeking the Lord's wisdom and not leaning on your own understanding. It also touches on giving. Sometimes it's easy to blow off giving, thinking, 'Well, when I'm 'grown up' and have a salary, then I'll give.' Or, 'When I make more money,' or 'When I get out of school...' But it's way easier to start a habit of giving now than it is tomorrow. It's just like any good habit -- the quicker you start, the quicker you have started.
:?)
Proverbs 7 gets into sex. The adulterous woman is described. Before it gets into that, though, it talks about "storing up" the commands and "binding them" on your fingers, and "writing them on the tablet of your heart." Having the Word as ammunition before you "go into battle" or face temptation is the way to win. Actually taking action to avoid sin is smart. Unless you willfully want to dive into sin, planning against it is a smart thing. Avoiding temptation is sometimes impossible, but other times it can be avoided.
I purchased a new version of Microsoft Outlook, which has privacy and security measures that do not allow or show images from html emails. Unless I add it to my list of known people in my address book, it gets x'd out by Outlook. I have to click on a link to see the images. This is a wonderful tool for me, because I used to get a dozen or so (even one was sickening) of those stupid porno site emails. Even now I still see stupid and crass words, but having the images x'd out and invisible helps me maintain a much cleaner attitude. This little change in my daily routine has brought me much peace and "freed up" energy I was focusing on fighting those trash images to devote to something healthier.
The fool in Proverbs 7, who was seduced by the temptress/adultress was walking along "in the direction of her house." He could have possibly avoided his destiny with death (he was killed with an arrow to the liver) by simply not going down her street.
Why does God care about sex?
Here's my take on this issue:
Sex is part of our identity. We are not given our names until our parents know what sex we are. Our sexuality is part of our very makeup. The bonds that are shared between a man and a woman during sex are more than physical -- emotional and somehow spiritual. If this relationship is broken up or ended, then those bonds are suddenly ripped out of place, leaving us with emotional and probable spiritual damage. This "tearing away" inside is painful. Counselors and pastors probably don't spend a lot of their time counseling people about their past sinful habits of shoplifting or lying or arrogance and pride. But you better believe these counselors do spend a lot of time trying to bring healing from the damage of sexual sin. Putting up "rules" about sex and giving it a context is really like having guardrails on the sides of a road as it goes over a ditch or a river. Those sturdy metal rails aren't there to "spoil your good time." They're there to save your self from pain and injury. The context of marriage should be the safest place for this sexual bonding to take place. Unfortunately, with divorce and the sin of adultery it's not always safe; but the odds are a lot better for safety in this area in marriage. So that is why saving sex until marriage is a good idea. That is why there are "rules" set up regarding sex.
That was the overall message I used to convey at almost every single Lust Control show my old punk band used to play. I'd also make it a point to mention that healing starts today and anyone who's failed in this area can truly "claim" the promise of 2 Corinthians 5:17 (that we are a "new creation" in Christ) and can start over today. There is healing and power in the blood of Jesus.
I wish we could all visit Haiti or India or some inner city place where demonic possession is a very real and visible reality and also see how the power of the very Name of Jesus and the blood He shed on the cross brings to this situation. Demons shudder and fear this Man Who created heaven and earth. If there is dramatic power and authority in that Name, then surely there is also healing.
Posted by Doug Van Pelt at June 6, 2005 11:02 AM