Knock on (Worm)Wood
Today I was reading Proverbs 5 and it spoke so many things to me. It’s all about a dad giving his kids the inside scoop on the life of what he calls “an immoral woman.” To me, though, it spoke volumes about heart attitude, in both male and female.
Here are just a few of my thoughts for you to ponder, should you feel so inclined:
Lips dripping honey – how many times in your life have people told you enticing things? And you didn’t run? Even though you knew it would leave a lasting impression?
Words smoother than oil – most of us know a smooth-talker when we meet one, but sometimes we stop to listen.
What really jumped out at me was verse 4 – but in the end she is bitter as wormwood. Now THAT’ll preach! How many people, both male and female, athiest and professing Christian alike, do you know that are bitter as wormwood? Not sure what wormwood is, but I sure don’t like the sound of it and, to be honest, I’d rather not get anywhere near it. Sounds scary!
Her feet go down to death – that tells me it’s a choice that you, and only you, can make. Nobody can make it for you, and you can’t blame it on anyone else. Nobody made her feet go anywhere.
Her ways are unstable – though I doubt she even realized it. Wow. How anyone can say the bible is irrelevant to today I just can’t imagine. Read today’s headlines and you’ll see people with unstable ways that led to unwise choices that led to heartbreaking consequences. He-llo!
Lest you give your honour to others, and your years to the cruel one – I’m not sure who the cruel one is, but again, it sounds like something I’d rather stay away from. You?
You mourn at the last, when your flesh and your body are consumed, and say “how I hated instruction” – how many are languishing in a physical or mental prison of their own making, mourning their choices but unable to change them?
Drink water from your own cistern… rejoice with the wife of your youth – and I’m told the divorce rate for Christians is higher than for non-believers. Joyce Meyer said once that the root of all sin is selfishness. I’ve thought on that a whole lot and I’m convinced she’s right.
Why be enraptured by an immoral woman, and embraced in the arms of a seductress? Why indeed? But I believe this refers to so much more than a woman. How many do you know that are enraptured and embraced by the love of a car? A job? A hobby? Just about anything in this world can become an idol if we let it. We have a choice. I choose Christ.
The ways of man are before the Lord – I learned this verse years ago and it’s been going round and round in my brain recently. I even saw an article about what a guy called “abounding lawlessness and abating love”. Ain’t that the truth.
His own iniquities entrap the wicked man – in our society today it’s never anybody’s fault. We’ll Freud ourselves out of all our problems before we’ll ever admit to them.
He shall die for lack of instruction, and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray – seems pretty clear to me. The devil made me do it? I don’t think so, Flip. Just sayin.
A man I respect highly, Chuch Swindoll, recently said something so very profound – rash actions never pay off. He also said that wise women seldom miss the best use of timing and tact. I’m not as wise or as tactful as I’d like to be, but I’m willing to change.
Kari, the imperfect but wormwood-free
original content, copyright © 2000, karigraceplace.com, all rights reserved
karigraceplace - A Lighthouse 