My son, keep your father’s command,
And do not forsake the law of your mother.
Bind them continually upon your heart;
Tie them around your neck.
When you roam, they will lead you;
When you sleep, they will keep you;
And when you awake, they will speak with you.
For the commandment is a lamp,
And the law a light;
Reproofs of instruction are the way of life,
To keep you from the evil woman,
From the flattering tongue of a seductress.
Do not lust after her beauty in your heart,
Nor let her allure you with her eyelids.
For by means of a harlot
A man is reduced to a crust of bread;
And]an adulteress will prey upon his precious life.
Can a man take fire to his bosom,
And his clothes not be burned?
Can one walk on hot coals,
And his feet not be seared?
So is he who goes in to his neighbor’s wife;
Whoever touches her shall not be innocent.
Proverbs 6:20-29
Solomon exhorts his son to keep his father’s command and not forsake the law of his mother (v. 20). The law of his mother is put in stronger terms in this instance, and she speaks to him about the flattering seductress. Clearly this topic not something only addressed between father and son, and a wise woman’s counsel is precious. The cost of “free love” is really high; by the harlot he is reduced to a crust of bread. Like much sin, the lie of sexual immorality is that there are no consequences, and so straight talk blesses the simple and the foolish. She preys on his life and he’ll be burned, seared, and guilty. With the rise of internet prostitution–skanky reels, clips, Only Fans, Snap Chat, on and on, people think these things are harmless and anonymous, but really they’re wasting time, money, and strength. Indulge and flatter yourself this way and it will compromise and weaken in countless areas of your life.