Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

My son, keep your father’s command
    and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
Bind them always on your heart;
    fasten them around your neck.
When you walk, they will guide you;
    when you sleep, they will watch over you;
    when you awake, they will speak to you.
For this command is a lamp,
    this teaching is a light,
and correction and instruction
    are the way to life,
keeping you from your neighbor’s wife,
    from the smooth talk of a wayward woman.
Do not lust in your heart after her beauty
    or let her captivate you with her eyes.
For a prostitute can be had for a loaf of bread,
    but another man’s wife preys on your very life.
Can a man scoop fire into his lap
    without his clothes being burned?
Can a man walk on hot coals
    without his feet being scorched?
So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife;
    no one who touches her will go unpunished.
People do not despise a thief if he steals
    to satisfy his hunger when he is starving.
Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold,
    though it costs him all the wealth of his house.
But a man who commits adultery has no sense;
    whoever does so destroys himself.
Blows and disgrace are his lot,
    and his shame will never be wiped away.
For jealousy arouses a husband’s fury,
    and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge.
He will not accept any compensation;
    he will refuse a bribe, however great it is.

• Proverbs 6:20-35

“Proverbs 6:20-23 ‘true godliness’. ”True godliness, of which the wise man here speaks, comes to many of us recommended by parental example.  But, in addition to that, true religion comes to us commended by practical uses, by its beneficial effect upon our lives.”

• Charles H. Spurgeon, from sermon notes

We are again reminded that the first nine chapters of Proverbs are fatherly encouragement to pursue wisdom.  This portion of Proverbs 6 is about Warnings Against Adultery, per the NIV.

The first four verses are all a reminder of this being a parent talking to their child.

Then there is a warning against the smooth talk of a wayward woman or your neighbor’s wife.  Then a reminder to not lust.

Then Solomon makes an argument against your wallet.  He says that a prostitute can be had for a loaf of bread, but the neighbor’s wife brings all kinds of complications.  The husband may take revenge and no amount of a bribe will be accepted.

Proverbs 5 talked of adultery, and now the second half of Proverbs 6 and then all of Proverbs 7 comes back to this topic.

As for the prostitute and the loaf of bread, the cost of a prostitute has gone up more since the days of Solomon.  When I was in Europe over forty years ago, I heard of a place called five-mark park.  Honestly, I never went and never knew where it was, just heard the talk.  You could have a girl for about three dollars.  Someone who went there more recently than my 40 plus years says that it is now called 50-mark park and that is low if you want assurance of no sexually transmitted diseases.

But the comparison is still valid.  Adultery with another man’s wife carries a much higher penalty if caught and the ramifications far outstretch theft.  That example is given, and you may ruin yourself financially by having to pay back seven-fold, but then that is the payment.  The penalty for adultery, if you are not stoned to death, would haunt you for the rest of your life.

And now let us sing.

The following song is sung by Winner and Shen, the Asidors, Faithful Friend.

“Everyone knows you as a man of honor
I am glad to know you simply as a friend
You’ve always taken time to be my brother
And I’ll be standing by you in the end

But I will never put you on a pedestal
I thank the Lord for everything you do
I’ll be there to pray for you and for the ones you love
I believe that He will finish all he started in you.

I will be an open door that you can count on
Anywhere you are, anywhere you’ve been
I will be an honest heart you can depend on
I will be a faithful friend

I am one of many whose path has been made clear
By the light you’ve carried faithfully as a warrior and a child
God has used you greatly to encourage and inspire
And you’ve remained a true friend all the while

So I will never put you on a pedestal
Cause we both know all the glory is the Lord’s
But I’ll be there to pray that He will keep you by his grace
And I always will remind you to be seeking His face

I will be an open door that you can count on
Anywhere you are, anywhere you’ve been
I will be an honest heart you can depend on
I will be a faithful friend

Should there ever come a time to cry
I will weep with you
And every single time you win
I’m celebrating too

Oh, I will celebrate with you

I will be an open door that you can count on
Anywhere you are, anywhere you’ve been
I will be an honest heart you can depend on
I will be a faithful friend

I will be faithful

Ooh, I will be a faithful friend”

• Twila Paris, Faithful Friends

Closing Prayer

Dear Lord,
We need Your wisdom.  As Tim Keller once said comparing adultery with greed, he said adultery is easy to spot.  A man walks into the bedroom and says, ‘Oh, you are not my wife.’. But Lord, You keep sending more and more reminders because our eyes go astray and our body follows.  We should know the error.  We should know the backlash and problems it causes.  But why is there attraction there?  Please, Holy Spirit, shout if we look the wrong way.  Change our hearts so they desire nothing other than You and our spouse.
In thy Name we pray.
Amen

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.