Meditation on Proverbs 5-9
Continuing the meditation on the book of Proverbs. The teacher continues the lessons of wisdom. I have noticed that there is repetition and principles are often repeated. Obviously, all of this was not written down in one sitting, but most likely as oral traditions passed down and later written down here and there, and eventually compiled into a book we call Wisdom. So you notice similar themes and repeated phrasing. But we need that, don’t we? Sometimes we need to have a point hammered again and again. That’s what happens in these chapters. It’s encouragement to seek Truth and Wisdom; to hold onto it with both hands; to avoid the distraction of what pulls you away from destiny and truth; to seek a path worth walking and companions to walk it with.
5:1-14
My friend, keep listening to what I am telling you because it really is wisdom. If you listen to how I view things, you will understand common sense, which is going to keep you out of trouble and drama. Like in relationships, someone who speaks with seductive words of flattery can sound so good and taste so sweet, but it doesn’t take you long to realize that what they are saying are bitter and give you heartburn. They will take you down a path to darkness because they don’t really know who they are or where they are going. If you are wise, you will stay away from people like this — you dont want to waste your time and ultimately your life dealing with people who just take advantage of you. Truth is, they don’t care about you. Honestly, you don’t want to live a life of regret — wishing you would have been more disciplined; wishing you would have listened to your teachers and mentors; wishing that you would have something to show for your life.
5:15-23
There’s an old saying that says you should drink water from your own well. Essentially it’s talking about the sacred that you do in your relationships. It’s between you and your partner — doesn’t need to be shared around. Dont take your love for granted. Enjoy your marriage. Bless your spouse! Take delight in what you do together. Dont ever be willing to trade something this beautiful for a whim — a hollow thrill that will leave you empty. The Divine is ever with you; aware of the direction you walk; hoping you choose to walk in light and not choosing the path that which pulls you back into darkness. Death can be the result of being undisciplined, so you don’t want to end up trapped in a maze of self-destruction.
6:1-5
I’m going to give you some practical financial advice. If you got into debt for your friend or family or even worse, you got caught up in a bad deal with someone you barely know; if you were impulsive and made a promise that left you holding the bag — get out as quick as you can. It’s a mess. It’s slavery.
6:6-11
You can learn lessons from watching nature. Let’s talk about ants. They are amazing creatures. No one gives them orders, yet there they are, busy, busy, busy, storing up food during the warm months; stockpiling and getting ready for winter. They know what is coming. So here’s the question: what are you doing? How long are you going to sit around, procrastinating and being lazy, saying you will just take care of it later. You lay around on the couch, taking naps, taking the day off for no reason. You’re sitting back chillin’ and one day it happens. You wake up and realize you have nothing to show for yourself and there’s no one to blame but you.
6:12-15
You know those people who talk nice to you but when you walk away they bust out the rude gossip? They lie to your face all the while they have a deal going on behind their back. They are always in a bunch of drama, stirring the pot, causing trouble and mayhem. Around the corner awaits certain disaster though.
6:16-19
If we are to model our lives after the Divine, there are certain character traits that are deeply offensive: Here are seven. Arrogance. Lying. Murder of an innocent. Plotting evil things. Running toward wickedness. Perjury. Destroying unity of the family.
6:20-23
Pay attention to the advice of your parents. Don’t walk away from their teaching — wear them like a good pair of hiking boots or a warm scarf around your neck. That way, where you walk they will walk with you and guide and guard you along the way. You will know what step to take next because their advice is inside you — guiding you like a lighthouse beacon, showing you the path as you journey. This is the value of good teaching and moral discipline.
6:24-35
This teaching will help you avoid seduction which destroys relationships. You won’t get taken in by beauty or physical desires. It is easy to get distracted by something you think you want. But think about it — if someone dropped a fire in your lap, don’t you think that you’d get badly burnt? If you step on a bed of coals without shoes you, chances are, you are going to burn your feet. That’s what happens when you choose to be unfaithful. Ultimately, you will pay for it. Just like a thief who gets caught — no matter what the reason is — they ultimately have to pay it back. So it is with unfaithfulness. It’s self-destructive — destroying your soul, your reputation, causing shame. Not to mention, you might just have to contend with some rage, revenge, and jealousy from the other side who was cheated on. It’s hard to smooth that over with apologies — even bribes don’t work.
7:1-27
This teaching is good stuff, isn’t it? I keep reminding you of this, because repetition helps you really lock it in. Write it down and don’t forget it. Keep talking to Wisdom and Insight. They will help you make wise choices in your relationships. One evening, as night was falling, I was standing in my house, looking out the window and I saw something that is a good analogy to life. People were walking by, but this one guy who seemed pretty naive — like a country boy’s first visit to the city — took a path that led him into a trap. He was seduced, taken in, kissed, fed, and they made love. After nights of passion, it wasn’t long before he was fully ensnared in the trap. Like a cow in a yard following the path that leads to the slaughter house; like a bird in a snare — they don’t know their life is about to be ended. And neither did he. So that’s the point, friends. Don’t go there. Don’t mess around in areas that you don’t know anything about. Many fall for the trap and never get out and their end is destruction.
8:1-11
Again we find Wisdom and Insight standing at the busy places of the city, shouting their message to anyone who would stop and listen. They speak of common sense and how to live well — your best life! They tell you of truth, which is savored and enjoyed. The taste of falsehoods and twisted words is sickening. Wisdom speaks truth and if you have an open mind, you will recognize it. Money and wealth are nothing if you don’t have wisdom.
8:12–21
Wisdom and Good Judgment are next door neighbors, and Knowledge and Discernment are close by. When you understand the Divine, you will know that pride, arrogance, and gossip are not character traits that go hand in hand with teachings of wisdom and virtue. Wisdom is how leaders can be fair and lawmakers can be just. It’s how presidents, governors, mayors and those in authority should operate. Those who seek Wisdom will find it. There’s a different level of richness, wealth, and glory associated with Wisdom — the benefits are great and beyond imagination. Wisdom walks in righteousness and justice and is surround by those who are seeking life.
8:22-31
Before anything was created, Wisdom was made. Long before the earth was made, Wisdom was there. Before the oceans, the rivers and lakes and creeks; before the mountains and hills were carved; before the horizon was drawn and the sky was flung upwards; before the boundaries for the waters; before the creation of the creatures and all the beauty of the earth was made… Wisdom was.
8:32-36
So after all of that my friends, the point is that those who chase after Wisdom will find a blessed life. If you choose discipline and live wisely and don’t throw away the amazing gifts that you have been given; if you seek Wisdom in the morning before you start your day and learn to listen… I mean really listen, you will find Wisdom. And when you find it, you find life. Real life.
9:1-6
Wisdom’s house is supported by seven beams, hand hewn, and strong. The banquet is ready — incredible foods await, the glasses are filled with fine wines, the silverware sparkles, fresh cut flowers bringing beautiful aromas to the room. Wisdom has gone to the streets and invites all who will listen to come to dinner. “Are you confused and uncertain about where you are heading in life? You don’t have to live that way. I have a great meal ready for you. I can show you another way to live.”
9:7-12
If you try and reason with someone who is cynical and arrogant, or if you confront them, it usually ends with you feeling like you got slapped around. Point is, don’t waste your time, it’s not worth the abuse. However, if you correct a wisdom seeker, it’s a different story. People like appreciate and understand correction. They know that are doing it because you care about them and want to push them upward. There is a holy reverence for the Divine that is instilled when you seek after Wisdom. The search for Wisdom will reward you with deep wells of knowledge, understanding, and insight.
9:13-18
And then there’s the other side of the coin — the people who are dull and naive, who seek only the surface and empty pursuits. They stumble around, directionless and idle. They are quickly taken in by con artists and smooth talking mischief-makers. They don’t realize the destruction that awaits them. They are fooled by the glitz and glamor, not realizing it is all a sideshow of distraction.