Date: Monday, 11th March, 2024
Text: Proverbs 7: 6-23
Author: Pastor Adedeji Fadehan
Exhortation:
Literally, a simple thing is something easy to understand or do; or something not difficult. However, biblically speaking, a simple person is inexperienced, naïve or gullible. A simple person is someone who is easily misled.
To better understand the word simple, let’s consider the opposite. We can say the opposite of simple is prudent. A prudent person is careful. He shows good judgment in avoiding risks and uncertainties. He is cautious, has or shows good judgment and restraint especially in conduct or speech.
A prudent person has foresight; he is able to sense danger ahead and avoid it.
According to today’s text, the writer of Proverbs narrated his experience regarding a simple young man. He said, “I was looking out the window of my house one day and saw a simpleminded lad, a young man lacking common sense, walking at twilight down the street to the house of this wayward girl, a prostitute. She approached him, saucy and dressed seductively. She was the brash, coarse type, seen often in the streets and markets, soliciting at every corner for men to be her lovers.
She put her arms around him and kissed him, and with a saucy look she said, “I was just coming to look for you and here you are! Come home with me, and I’ll fix you a wonderful dinner, and after that—well, my bed is spread with lovely, colored sheets of finest linen imported from Egypt, perfumed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
Come on, let’s take our fill of love until morning, for my husband is away on a long trip. He has taken a wallet full of money with him and won’t return for several days.”
With her many persuasions she caused him to yield; with her flattering lips she seduced him.
Suddenly he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, not knowing the outcome,
Or as one in stocks going to the correction [to be given] to a fool, until an arrow pierced his liver; like a bird fluttering straight into the net, he did not know that it would cost him his life.” Proverbs 7: 6-23
The undiscerning and simple young man lost his life on the altar of fornication because he thought sexual intercourse is just a mere means of catching fun.
Prayer Nugget: Father, I refuse to be simple. I ask for the grace of prudence in Jesus name.