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Monday 11 October
Wisdom as a moral safeguard

Read Proverbs 2:16–22
You will be saved from the loose woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words. (verse 16)

In chapter 2, we are told that the second value of wisdom is to protect ourselves from one of the enemies of Lady Wisdom: the deceptive woman (verses 16–19). Some people will find this negative portrayal of the ‘adulteress’ or ‘loose woman’ offensive. Because the prime target of the ancient Hebrew sages was the young men in Hebrew society, the sages used this portrayal to get across the urgent message. The young men were the future leaders of the family, society and the nation and if they failed by being tempted to go sexually astray, all the units of family, society and nation would be affected. Hence, the urgent warning in these verses not to fall into the wiles and charms of the ‘adulteress’ or ‘loose woman’. If the message had been addressed to the daughters, then the equivalent would be the ‘smooth operator’ or the ‘Casanova’.

The lesson here for young men (and young women) is that it is easy to succumb to sexual temptations. When they commit sexual and moral infidelity (especially if they are already married), that fatal mistake can destroy the very fabric of family, society and nation. Wisdom can be a moral safeguard here for the young. Wisdom will jealously guard their paths and help them keep to the paths of the just (verse 20). Be counted among the upright and innocent, not among the wicked and treacherous (verses 21–22).

† Lord, help me to guard my path so that it does not lead to wickedness and evil but to justice and uprightness. Amen