Those Who Look for Trouble Always Find it

In Proverbs 7, Solomon unmasks immorality’s deception to help us stand against it. The problem, however, is that you and I usually don’t want to stand against it.

Now we’ll give plenty of lip service to “accountability” and “boundaries.” We love to wallow in guilt and misery. We whine about the springtime and about how it resurfaces hordes of scantily clad North American tribeswomen.

But when the sun goes down, and we think we’re alone, and we believe we’ll get away with it—we once again pass right down the street near her corner, taking the way to her house. We know exactly where Immorality keeps her residence, and we frequent her establishment and browse her seductive wares.

Looking for Trouble

6 For at the window of my house
I have looked out through my lattice,
7 and I have seen among the simple,
I have perceived among the youths,
a young man lacking sense,
8 passing along the street near her corner,
taking the road to her house
9 in the twilight, in the evening,
at the time of night and darkness. (Prov 7:6-9, ESV)

The Victim

Observe who is the “victim” here. He is the “simple,” one of “the youths” (Prov 7:7). He is the one who loves being simple (Prov 1:22). He could become wise, but he doesn’t yet want to. He refuses to receive prudence, knowledge, and discretion (Prov 1:4). He won’t turn at reproof (Prov 1:23-27).

This young man knows the right thing to do, but he won’t do it. All hope is not lost; there’s still time for him to change his mind and turn. He doesn’t need more information or education. He needs to fear the Lord (Prov 1:7).

Notice, though, how else he is described: “a young man lacking sense” (Prov 7:7). Though I believe, generally, that you don’t need to know Hebrew in order to study the Bible, there are times when wordplay doesn’t translate well. This is one of those cases.

The Hebrew word for “sense” is the same Hebrew word used in verse 3 for “heart.” Solomon says: My son, you must bind the commandments on your heart (v.3); but here is a young man lacking “sense/heart” (v.7). Dear reader, you must get this, lest you die: if you don’t write God’s words on your heart, you will lack anything of substance in your heart, and you will continue seeking trouble for yourself.

What does this mean?

Those who take the time to learn and study God’s words, memorizing them and delighting in them—these are the ones who find something more desirable than immorality. Because in loving God’s words, they love God himself. By drowning themselves in God’s words, they find saturation in God’s favor. With wisdom close at hand and intimate (Prov 7:4), they won’t feel the need for another (counterfeit) companion.

The Victim’s Tactics

Now, observe the victim’s tactics. He passes along the street near her corner. He takes the road to her house. He does it under cover of darkness. If you didn’t catch it, Solomon repeats this last point 4 times: twilight, evening, time of night, darkness (Prov 7:9).

Dennis Wong (2009), Creative Commons

The victim is actually the perpetrator. He knows exactly what he’s doing. He knows what road he’s on. He knows who lives on that corner. He could take a million different routes, but he chooses this one at this time because it will get him where he wants to go.

Here is the point: You are not a victim to your desires. You are not a slave to your sexual sin.

You and I are willing, intentional, conscious, premeditated, first-degree, voluntary, calculated, and deliberate partners with immorality. And what can we do about that?

Some people say, “I had better try harder. I’m not being good enough.” But this approach leads only to more death.

Others say, “I’ll never change.” The gospel-loving, spiritually sanctified version of this sentiment uses comforting terms like “besetting sin” and “deeply-rooted patterns.” But this approach often flies in the face of God’s call to repentance and drastic life change.

There is another way. I’ll write more of it next week.