The enemy knows our weaknesses and will stop at nothing to push our buttons, so we must always be aware. Being happily married does not deter the enemy from trying to bring temptation your way. Remember, he comes only to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10). So, be on the lookout. Be proactive with your prayers for your spouse in this specific area. I am not saying to be afraid of a devil around every corner, but be wise, so that he does not catch you off guard.
That "friend" at work could easily become a temptation and a snare, even if they "say" they are a Christian or they "believe" in God (Remember the devil believes in God. Saying you are a Christian and actually being a Christian are two totally different things). If you are married, do NOT go anywhere alone with that friendly co-worker that wants to just go grab a coffee or a drink after work. If you get invitations like this, then you should say, no, but I'll ask my spouse if we can have you over for dinner. Watch how fast that person backs away from you. Then, you know their agenda was not just about coffee.
This proverb urges us to pay attention and listen well, so that we may maintain discretion. We are told the adulteress's lips drip with honey. Yup, she is a smooth talker, but do not be fooled. In the end, her words will be bitter like vinegar. She is a double-edged sword and she will cut you deep and in more ways than one. Her paths are crooked and her way leads to death and the grave. We are warned to not even go near her door, unless we want to trade our honor and dignity for cruelty, give our wealth to strangers, and come to the brink of utter ruin.
This is a "strange" woman, and you are to stay away from her. This proverb instructs us to drink from our own well. Don't seek out strangers. The Lord sees and knows all. You can't hide this from Him. The evil deeds a wicked man does ensnares him and he is held fast by the cords of his sin. Don't trade discipline for death and don't be led away by great folly.
Stay with the one you made a holy covenant with. The Lord will cause you to delight in your spouse. Even on the worst day with your spouse, life is better for you than with an adulteress. There's talk of this 80/20 rule going around. Sometimes your spouse may only give you 80%, but don't trade it for the 20% that an adulteress will give you, because that 20% is momentary.
Wives, do not neglect your husbands on the 20%. The Bible says you are NOT to deny your husbands. Read 1 Corinthians 7:4-5. When you said "I do" your body is no longer yours. You are his and he is yours. This 20% is the KEY that unlocks the 80% of how your husband relates to you and shows you love. Wives, this 20% is a ministry to your husbands. Again, my best friend's Spanish proverb comes to mind here. "Dar el ala, para comer la pechuga." Basic Translation - You have to give up the wing of the chicken to get the breast of the chicken.
Let's get real! Marriage is something that has to be protected. It is sacred and holy. It is worth fighting for. Even if you have grown apart, God can fix that. Plus, there are loads of resources out there to help you. Remember why you married each other and remember the exciting parts of your marriage in that 1st year. Go back to where you started. Rekindle that fire. Don't give the enemy any room to send an adulteress your way.
Proverbs 5 (NIV)
1 My son, pay attention to my wisdom,
turn your ear to my words of insight,
2 that you may maintain discretion
and your lips may preserve knowledge.
3 For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey,
and her speech is smoother than oil;
4 but in the end she is bitter as gall,
sharp as a double-edged sword.
5 Her feet go down to death;
her steps lead straight to the grave.
6 She gives no thought to the way of life;
her paths wander aimlessly, but she does not know it.
7 Now then, my sons, listen to me;
do not turn aside from what I say.
8 Keep to a path far from her,
do not go near the door of her house,
9 lest you lose your honor to others
and your dignity[a] to one who is cruel,
10 lest strangers feast on your wealth
and your toil enrich the house of another.
11 At the end of your life you will groan,
when your flesh and body are spent.
12 You will say, “How I hated discipline!
How my heart spurned correction!
13 I would not obey my teachers
or turn my ear to my instructors.
14 And I was soon in serious trouble
in the assembly of God’s people.”
15 Drink water from your own cistern,
running water from your own well.
16 Should your springs overflow in the streets,
your streams of water in the public squares?
17 Let them be yours alone,
never to be shared with strangers.
18 May your fountain be blessed,
and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.
19 A loving doe, a graceful deer—
may her breasts satisfy you always,
may you ever be intoxicated with her love.
20 Why, my son, be intoxicated with another man’s wife?
Why embrace the bosom of a wayward woman?
21 For your ways are in full view of the Lord,
and he examines all your paths.
22 The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare them;
the cords of their sins hold them fast.
23 For lack of discipline they will die,
led astray by their own great folly.
Footnotes:
- Proverbs 5:9 Or years
* Bible passage and footnotes courtesy of Biblegateway.com
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