Tiny Devotional for Tuesday, 08-09-2024

 A great good morning to all my friends and neighbors in Internet Land! And to family who might drop by, I ate the last of the leftovers for breakfast.

For a prostitute can be had for a loaf of bread,
but another man’s wife preys on your very life.
Proverbs 6:26, NIV


The New International Version effectively makes the point that sexual immorality alone is of lesser consequence than the violation of a covenant relationship. Prostitution is no small thing; Jesus listed prostitutes with tax collectors!  The verse points out that it's the choice of your companion in sexual immorality that changes the offense (figuratively speaking) from a misdemeanor to a felony.

Why should this be the case? The next several verses make it clear that it's not God who exacts retribution on the covenant-breaker, but man; specifically, the spouse of the person involved in adultery.  This passage speaks to the reactions of an injured husband, but my observations convince me that an injured wife can have a similar response.

The fact is that when we sin, it's often not just a sin against God, but a sin against man as well; and, whereas the Lord is slow to anger and quick to forgive, the same can't be assumed to be true with people.

Reconciling with God isn't the same as reconciling with humans. God already KNOWS what you have done, but you may have to break the news of your sin to another person. In doing so, however, you must never damage them further, just to ease your guilty conscience. Confessing an adulterous relationship MUST be done with wise and godly counsel. That means you will have to bring yet ANOTHER person in on your secret. Painful? Even humiliating?

Yes. But: essential.

Peace be on your household.

Comments

  1. Jesus SavesAugust 20, 2024 at 8:17 AM

    Glad to comment back again. The notification of my Gmail lately has experience some problem.
    Wise and Godly counsel matters most in life. In the subject of sexual immorality, it will lead to consequences in life.
    Nice topic to ponder my Brother Pat.

    ReplyDelete

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