Proverbs 7

 Chapter 7 warns strongly against infidelity, adultery, and immorality. 

This topic weighs heavy on my heart and is one I'm passionate about because I've witnessed the devastating effects. 

It's not just an unbeliever problem - it's a mankind problem. Immorality respects no persons when it comes to whether one is a believer or non-believer. It affects all. The chapter begins with a plea, telling us to keep the commandments and treasure godly counsel and wisdom. How can we keep God's words? By writing them on our heart - memorizing Scripture and being in the word every day. 

In order to avoid being caught by temptation, we must know our weak spots and not put ourselves in situations that make us vulnerable. We should be compelled to discipline ourselves.

Our culture tries desperately hard to desensitize us to immorality and adultery. They "commonize" it, especially to children. But common does not = normal and it's not normal. In fact, presenting it to kids like it is normal rates as a high offense. Working every day with parents and children involved in public and private schools, I realize that many in this next generation are 1.) growing up without knowing the Lord and 2.) bombarded with sin from all directions to make then desensitized. It's shoved down their poor little throats and they don't know better. How can they when no one teaches them? 

There is acceptable and non-acceptable behavior.  Schools refuse to teach it clearly and aren't drawing a line. Parents stay too busy with work, and by the time they come home, they most likely give the kids supper while placing a tablet or phone in front of them. Then it's play time on the tv until bed time, and cycle repeats the next day. 

Infidelity and immorality hurt kids the most which breaks my heart to pieces. I've seen a vicious cycle which plays out in many broken families. Here's one example.

Starts off with a husband, wife, and kids. More often than not, both spouses work (whether out of necessity or preference) and the children go to public (sometimes private) school. Then divorce or separation happens for whatever reason - could be infidelity, money, selfish pride, etc. 

Now the kids live with no consistency. They split time between mom and dad - that's if both parents are present. Then one or both spouses find a boy/girl friend and start living together.  Now there's fornication and kids get used to reality of seeing boyfriend everyday, and visiting dad on weekends or no dad at all. Then because of living together and lack of responsibility and discipline, another baby enters the picture, and kids get used to this reality of stepsiblings. To say the least, the whole situation is a disaster. 

Many single parents are lackadaisical in their parenting because life can be overwhelming with full time work, appointments, sports games, etc. The parent looks for something convenient to entertain the kids, like tablets, tv, or video games because at least they'll be quiet and contained for a little while. Here the danger of desensitizing comes. With no parental supervision or care, the kid scrolls through media (youtube shorts seem to be the main one with younger kids), hearing and seeing things they ought not. Satan is smart. He's looking who he can devour, and who's easiest? Young children because they soak up everything. They get used to seeing immodesty on videos (and in video games), hearing and seeing immoral things, and don't think twice about it as they scroll on. We know that what one consumes through the eye and ear gates goes into the heart eventually.  

Because immodesty and immorality are normalized on these videos, even spoken about freely, kids grow up thinking it's a fine behavior. Little boys learn that it's okay to disrespect and devalue women (maybe even their own mom) and adults because people do it in the videos and treat it lightly. (Side note: women also devalue their own selves by being in/making these videos.) Little boys turn into young men and if not corrected, the behavior and attitude toward women will stay the same. 

The issues addressed in chapter 7 affect so many areas of life, not just of the couple, but of children. If you have any influence over young children or grandchildren, I encourage you to teach them what is right and wrong. With all kinds of media in their face these days, not to mention the stuff kids at school talk about, it's wise to talk to kids about issues before they arise. It's wise to be in the know with what they're faced with. Pretending that it doesn't exist or pretending that these issues wouldn't arise in a Christian family is simply foolish. A person who thinks he's too strong to be affected better think again. Many strong men have been slain (vs. 26). 

1 Cor. 10:12 ~ "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."

Prov.7:23, talking about temptation/the strange woman, says the young man void of understanding will follow her Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life. 

How terrifying. Just like the bird, adultery and fornication devour the life. It ruins. It leaves a mess. It destroys. 

PROVERBS 4:23

KEEP THY HEART WITH ALL DILIGENCE; FOR OUT OF IT ARE THE ISSUES OF LIFE.