As
yesterday’s reading showed us the protective power of wisdom in regards to
wicked men, our passage today shows the protective power of wisdom in
connection to wicked men. My first observation, and insight has to do with the
contrast between these two groups of people. Remember, the writer was a man,
not a woman, so his perspective sheds light on what he highlights. What he
mentions is what he would struggle with as a man, and not what every person
would struggle with generally.
To put it another way, from a man’s
perspective, other men will lead them with their words into error. Whereas men
will more likely follow a woman into sexual sins. And that is where we pick up
wisdom’s saving power.
Verse 16 speaks about this loose woman, but
doesn’t say much about the loose men who participate with her in her lack of
wisdom. She also uses her words, just like the men did in verse 12. Words can
be a powerful influence, for good or for evil. This is one of the reasons we
need to keep watch over what we say, and over what we hear.
Notice next that the woman has left her
husband, while the man has left his straight paths. These could be very much
the same actions stated from the male perspective toward men and women. The man
walks into darkness, while the woman abandons her husband and consequently her
marriage vows.
I wouldn’t want to be a man following such a
female’s path. As we will read in further chapters, these actions are not
accepted in God’s sight. There is but one consequence for walking into
adultery: death. That seems awfully harsh! Once you walk down that path, it is
very difficult to escape. Ask anyone who has walked the road! Very difficult to
return to life.
Man or woman, if we listen to wisdom we will
walk in places where good people walk. I want you to know something, I like
hanging around with good, honest people. I don’t like hanging around with
crooks. I bet you feel the same way. With crooks, you are always watching your
back, wondering when the next pain will arise.