Commandments, instructions and directions are placed in our lives to give us a path to follow. Parents do this by means of experience, the Lord does this by means of wisdom. It is the job of those above us to ensure the safety of our walk. The Lord wants to see us walk without stumbling, however, if we do happen to stumble that we have a reference to correct whatever made us stumble.
"My son, keep your father's [God-given] commandment, an forsake not the law of [God] your mother [taught you]." Proverbs 6:20, Amplified
Again, Solomon urges his son to listen to what it is he has to say. I remember there was a time when my parents did the same thing to me. I was convinced that I knew more than hey did, or that it would be a different outcome than before. To be honest, most every situation ends in a similar fashion whether it be your father, grandfather or great grandfather. Sin is sin and it will destroy every time. Paul encourages the Ephesians in this concept, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 'Honor your father and mother,' which is the first commandment with promise: 'that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.'" (Ephesians 6:1-3, NKJV)
"Bind them continually on your heart, and tie them about your neck." Proverbs 6:21, Amplified
This was covered in chapter three in verse three a few devotions ago. The interpretation is still the same. If the Word is bound to the heart, it becomes a filter for what enters the heart as well as what leaves the heart. Binding the commandments around the neck is like placing a weight around the neck. It is a constant reminder, hanging, pulling. We begin to garner strength because of its existence in our lives. We must begin to force ourselves to look up, to look forward.
"When you go, [the Word of your parents' God] it shall lead you; when you sleep, it shall keep you and when you waken, it shall talk with you." Proverbs 6:22, Amplified
There are three states of being for the average human. Going, sleeping and waking. As we read the Word and continually commune with the Lord , that same Word will begin to be with us always. It is like the instruction to putting a piece of furniture together with the instruction. Step by step, as we follow, the piece of furniture becomes more and more defined. It will be the same outcome for us. As we go about our lives the Word of God will lead us where we need to go as the Holy Spirit brings to remembrance different Scriptures to guide us. Even in sleep, the Word of God will keep us. But to waken to the Word of God, this is a wonderful thing. It is important to have a morning devotion. To have the Word of God talk to us in the morning begin to mold and shape our hearts and get us ready for the day ahead of us.
"For the commandments is a lamp, and the whole teaching of the law is light, and reproofs of discipline are the way of life, to keep you from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of the evil woman." Proverbs 6:23-24, Amplified
This is a dark world that we live in today. The only light that we can depend on is the Word of God. It is ever unchanging. The light of the Word will never go out, we will never have to change the bulb, or replace the existing bulb with a brighter one. From the moment of its inception, the Truth has shone brightly exposing all lies.
Solomon also revisits a subject that is near and dear to all men, the flattery of the opposite sex. It is a difficult thing at times to keep one straight on the path of righteousness if he has not immersed himself into the Word of God. It is impossible to remain enlightened if we first do not turn that light on in our hearts. The only way to do this is to read the Word, bind it on our hearts and around our necks, and allow the Word to guide us by it's light.
"Lust not after her beauty in your heart, neither let her capture you with her eyelids. For on account of a harlot a man is brought to a piece of bread, and the adulteress will stalk and snare [as with a hook] the precious life of a man." Proverbs 6:25-26, Amplified
The language of this verse is a little cryptic. What can it mean that a man will be brought to a piece of bread? The man will be easily devoured by the adulterous woman. Jesus spoke of this during His sermon on the mount, "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery in his heart." (Matthew 5:28, NKJV) It all starts in the heart, hence the need to bind the word to the heart. No man wishes to be devoured, however, if we are involved in sin then once that realization comes about it may just be too late. Adultery will destroy a man, take his life and his everything. Lord keep my eyes straight and narrow focused on You and my wife alone.
"Can a man take fire into his bosom and his clothes not be burned? Can one walk upon hot coals and his feet not be burned?" Proverbs 6:27-28, Amplified
This is a rhetorical question. The answer to both question is of course, "No." This is a spiritual truism, you play with fire and you will be burned. The interesting thing about fire is that it is a scar that will remain with you for the remainder of your life. Fire can be disfiguring. Fire can severely main and still not destroy.
"So he who cohabits with his neighbor's wife [will be tortured with evil consequences and just retribution]; he who touches her shall not be innocent or go unpunished." Proverbs 6:29, Amplified
The man who sleeps with his neighbor's wife is the man who has taken fire into his bosom. She will be his undoing. You may ask, "Who is my neighbor?" A certain lawyer asked Jesus the same question in Luke 10. Jesus went on to teach His parable of the Good Samaritan. In truth, everyone in our neighbor. Every man's wife is off limits. Fire will always be fire and it will always burn.
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