Proverbs 6:1-35

Foolishness is something that comes naturally to all of us.  It is so easy for us to do foolish things because it just kind of comes naturally to us because of our fallen nature.  It takes effort and a great deal of discipline for us to learn wisdom and put it into practice.  We must constantly be reminded of the principles of wisdom from God’s Word and the instructions of wise men that have spoken truth into our lives.  This chapter of Proverbs gives us some very valid reminders of foolish things that we must learn to avoid.

DON’T TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OTHERS: Money is always a source of tension, danger and conflict.  It is a very foolish thing for us to get involved in the financial affairs of others.  That does not mean that we should not be generous to the people around us.  It is fine for us to give money to others as a gift, but we should never loan money to people that we cannot afford to give them as a gift.  When we agree to co-sign on a loan for someone, we are taking responsibility for the money of that person.  If they do not pay we will end up paying for something that we never bought.  This is a foolish thing to do that will only open us up for broken relationships and financial loss.  We must do all we can to keep from being responsible for the debts of another person, from being in debt to another person and from having another person being in debt to us.

DON’T BE A LIABILITY TO OTHERS: When we are lazy, we are being a liability to others.  We were placed on this planet in a community of people that depend upon and impact the lives of one another.  My laziness will have a negative effect on all of the people around me.  It is wise to work hard.  Ants are a wonderful illustration of cooperation, diligence and just plain hard work.  They can carry several times their own body weight and they work extremely hard for long hours in cooperation with and for the benefit of all the other ants that are members of the same nest.  The lazy person will constantly procrastinate, sleep just a little longer and rationalize his lack of productivity with all kinds of excuses while making promises to do better in the future that never comes.  The only thing that does come is poverty and heartbreak as well as more broken relationships with the people around us.  

DON’T USE DISHONESTY AGAINST OTHERS: Wicked men are constantly out to hurt the people that are close to them.  They take pleasure in the pain and misery of others and take even more pleasure when they are the cause of that pain.  God hates this kind of behavior because it goes completely against His character and the purpose for which He created us.  He created us with the intention that we would love Him and love one another.  He hates it when we are proud, dishonest and violent towards one another or create division between others.  He wants us to lovingly serve one another not promote ourselves by tearing others down.

DON’T COMMIT ADULTERY WITH OTHERS: Adultery is a dangerous and disastrous sin that brings far more pain than the pleasure it promises.  A woman who is married to another man must be separated unto him and him alone.  If we violate her we sin against God, her, ourselves and her husband.  We will incur wrath from every angle imaginable.  There will be no way that we can restore that relationship and we run the risk of very violent and costly retribution.  It simply is not worth it.  There are evil and foolish married women who know how to seduce men into adultery but it is a trap that we must avoid at all costs.  We must protect our hearts from this desire, protect our eyes from looking at women and our ears from hearing their tempting words.  They are like fire that will burn us and leave us in excruciating pain and embarrassment.  We must learn to run from adultery.