Proverbs 6:27-29 - Fire Safety

Proverbs 6:27-29
27 

27 Can a man carry fire next to his chest
and his clothes not be burned?
28 Or can one walk on hot coals
and his feet not be scorched?
29 So is he who goes in to his neighbor's wife;
none who touches her will go unpunished.

Message: Fire Safety

Time: King Solomon is the principal writer of Proverbs. Solomon's proverbs were penned around 900 B.C. In the Book of Proverbs, Solomon reveals the mind of God in matters high and lofty and in common, ordinary, everyday situations, too. It appears that no topic escaped King Solomon's attention. Matters pertaining to personal conduct, sexual relations, business, wealth, charity, ambition, discipline, debt, child-rearing, character, alcohol, politics, revenge, and godliness are among the many topics covered in this rich collection of wise sayings.

What the Lord is Saying:

The message in these verses is simple: "Don't play with fire; if you do, you will get burned." Verse 27 is almost a verse a humor acknowledging the ridiculous of carrying fire next to his person and yet thinking that he can do this and not get burned. We often do the same with sin. We listen to music that we know has a bad message, but I remember saying as a kid, I just ignore the words and enjoy the music. We do the same with TV shows and movies, loving parts, and saying we ignore the rest. But, it is having an affect on us.

These verses are a caution statement to the sin in our lives. Most notably here is the sin of adultery. It amazes me how much the Bible is a book about avoiding sexual sin. And yet we find ourselves living in a day and age when sexual immorality and temptations is everywhere in our world. As a man, I see that I am weak in those areas. Perhaps it was being tempted to look at a magazine when I was a young man, before the age of 10 and then again in middle school when my hormones were on high alert. And this temptation has carried with me in life, despite having a beautiful and wonderful wife who fulfills all of my needs and desires. It continues. The temptation continues despite my circumstances. The media puts out the message continually because they know it is something that people want and desire. Hugh Hefner just died and in many ways he is thought to be a revolutionary person and yet he gave permission to something that really was a taboo throughout scripture, but he helped normalize it so that the sin became acceptable behavior.

This is the danger I have seen with sin in the 21st century and post 1960's, it is the rewriting of it, to make it seem acceptable. We have focused instead on "If it feels good, do it" and even the idea of tolerance in which we respect anyone's desire to like whatever they desire. We are riding down a slippery slope and in many ways, getting further away from God as a country (USA). And many people don't care because as long as our comfort, safety, and entertainment is in check, we don't care about what is going on around us.

It's an interesting sin in society. We have so many messages that joke about it, but we still call out people that get caught in these behaviors. A famous Hollywood producer just got caught because he pressured women to be involved with him (the accusation). I don't think the act is being judged but rather what is being judged is the infringement of another person's rights. It's just so ironic when it is a message that is continually sold in society.

The message here is clear: don't go near it. Stay far from it. That's the only way to get out unscathed.

Promise: Knowing our own weaknesses, we should avoid those occasions, people, or places where we might find ourselves playing with the fire of sin. If we do not do that, we will set ourselves up for failure and compromise the holiness to which God calls us.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the truth of your word, even words written by a man that lived about 3000 years ago still resonate with us today. Despite our advances in a myriad of ways these same principles hold true to our lives. Lord, give us your power to resist these sins. Lead us not into temptation. When we do sin, deliver us from evil. Thank you for being a God of forgiveness and cleaning us from all impurity. Now, help us to walk each new day - clean.