6she does not ponder the path of life;
her ways wander, and she does not know it.

Proverbs: 5:6

In most beat ’em up games, players have access to both a normal attack and a special attack. In games like Streets of Rage (see also Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), you can unleash a long combo attack to deal damage to your enemies or finish them off quickly with a special attack. While it may seem advantageous to repeatedly use the special attack to dominate a level, there is a significant drawback: using your special attack drains your health. Consequently, the more you rely on it, the closer you get to losing the game. This undermines the purpose of the special attack, as it is intended to help keep you out of danger.

Our world is full of distractions and the most frustrating part is that our brains love being interrupted by unimportant or unhealthy things. We see an ad for a new gizmo that everyone has and we click buy, we sneak downstairs at midnight to finish off a pie, or we binge a season of a show instead of working diligently. The interruptions feel welcome and necessary, but deep down inside we know that regret will come.

In Proverbs 5, a mentor advises his pupil to be cautious of a particular woman. This woman is married and seeks an extramarital affair. The passage describes her words as sweet as honey, and her speech is so smooth that it can lead our minds to accept her unhealthy proposition.

But what she can’t do is ponder the path of life. She can’t see the bigger picture. She has no idea that she is draining your health. Your interruptions cannot see how God’s healthy life works, while the life of lust is not set up for the long-term goals.

Jesus says it in Matthew, “Seek first the Kingdom of Heaven, and all else shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)

Regrets and shame wait for anyone who follow any quick detour, but no one is disappointed by a life that puts God first.

Figure it Out:

Proverbs 5:1-8

1¶My son, be attentive to my wisdom;
incline your ear to my understanding,

2that you may keep discretion,
and your lips may guard knowledge.

3For the lips of a forbiddenfn woman drip honey,
and her speechfn is smoother than oil,

4but in the end she is bitter as wormwood,
sharp as a two-edged sword.

5Her feet go down to death;
her steps follow the path tofn Sheol;

6she does not ponder the path of life;
her ways wander, and she does not know it.

7¶And now, O sons, listen to me,
and do not depart from the words of my mouth.

8Keep your way far from her,
and do not go near the door of her house,

  1. What is God’s role in this passage?
  2. What is our choices/responsibilities in this passage?
  3. What is God urging us to do?
  4. Why is temptation so “good” to our brains? How do we convince ourselves otherwise?