How to Avoid Burnt Clothes and Burned Feet

Nov 11

Nov 11 How to Avoid Burnt Clothes and Burned Feet

Proverbs Devo, God's Word, Personal Faith, Wisdom, Character, Culture, Integrity, Relationships, Truth

Wisdom from Ancient Experience

Many in our present culture define sex and gender in various ways. New terms abound to describe gender identity and sexual orientation, like gender-fluid and non-binary.

I came of age at the outset of the infamous sexual revolution that began in the 1960s. Casual sex and so-called open relationships were in vogue. This caused confusion for many then, just as it does now.

But none of this is new. All this existed in some form in ancient Rome but with different terminology. It is not a sign of evolutionary or moral progression. It is a digression.

King Solomon reigned over 900 years before ancient Rome reached its apex of immorality and eventual demise. His sexual liberation destroyed his life. So, he speaks from experience about the dangerous and destructive path of unrestrained sexuality.

Solomon uses graphic and inflammatory words in his fatherly advice found in the second half of Proverbs chapter 6. This wisdom is just as relevant today as it was then.

Scripture

My son, obey the command of your father, and do not disregard the teachings of your mother.

Fasten them on your heart forever. Hang them around your neck… they will lead you… they will watch over you… they will talk to you….

Can a man carry fire in his lap without burning his clothes? Can anyone walk on red-hot coals without burning his feet?

So it is with a man who has sex with his neighbor’s wife. None who touch her will escape punishment.

Whoever commits adultery with a woman has no sense. Whoever does this destroys himself.

(Proverbs 6:20-22, 27-29, 32 GW) (Context—Proverbs 6:20-35 GW)

Proverbs 6

Simple Insights

The early chapters of Proverbs have several admonitions addressed to a son, but they are not gender-specific. Yes, it sure seems like it, but Solomon wrote them during ancient times. Women did not have the place they have now in most societies.

Many admonitions also focus on the dangers of immoral women, which sounds hypocritical coming from King Solomon, who had a thousand wives and concubines. He used figurative language a lot to emphasize a point, even overstating it.

The main point of this admonition is to avoid a destructive path by remaining on the path of life enlightened by God's Law. Solomon illustrates this by describing the allure of an immoral and seductive woman, which leads to several things beyond the person’s control.

Involvement with a prostitute only costs “the price of a loaf of bread.” But a man who commits adultery hands his life to the woman. This gives us a picture of the ripple effect of sin. It’s not limited to one action, but sets in motion a series of reactions.

If you throw a stone in a small pond, ripples go out in concentric circles from the entry point of the stone. But these ripples also return to the center point as they rebound from the edge of the pond.

Graphic and painful figures of burning clothes and feet describe the nature of committing adultery with your neighbor’s spouse. Once a fire starts, it spreads quickly and destructively—whether it’s catching your clothes on fire, a building, or spreading through a field or forest.

The point of the illustration is that there's no resolution to the problem. Nothing will satisfy or defer the offended spouse's jealousy. As a pastor, I've seen this play out in the lives of several people over the years. Things can never go back to how they were before.

So, how does this relate to the present time, and what are other destructive paths to avoid?

Prevention is powerful.

Avoidance is often a smart and valuable tactic when it comes to temptations or potentially compromising relationships and situations.

The truth of God—a lamp and a light that reveals the path of life—needs to be embedded and alive in our minds and hearts if we want to avoid burnt clothes and burned feet. God's Word comes alive and gets embedded in us as we read, reflect on, and apply its truth.

This requires discipline on our part—that's the difficult thing. But developing discipline is much easier than an attempt to put out a fire that's out of control.

Reflection—

Consider the paths you've taken in life so far. Are there some you wish you'd avoided? Learn from your mistakes and let them be motivation for you to develop the discipline to avoid destructive paths and stay on the path of life.