13 The [f]woman of folly is boisterous,
She is [g]naive and knows nothing.
14 She sits at the doorway of her house,
On a seat by the high places of the city,
15 Calling to those who pass by,
Who are making their paths straight:
16 “Whoever is [h]naive, let him turn in here,”
And to him who lacks [i]understanding she says,
17 “Stolen water is sweet;
And bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
18 But he does not know that the [j]dead are there,
That her guests are in the depths of Sheol.
This passage is sad, because it doesn’t have to end that way, but for so many, it does. They lack understanding, or are naive about what is really happening. So now we’re reading this, we must not fall for the lie: “Stolen water is sweet; and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
The water may be sweet, but the aftertaste of regret is bitter and haunting. And why should secret bread be better than any other? Maybe it is for a moment, and it isn’t just about bread and water. Lots of sinful things are pleasant at the time. But later? Pain, regret, and shame are lurking just around the corner.
If something can’t be done out in the open, if you wouldn’t tell everyone about it, stop. We need to ask ourselves why we are hiding it, and if it needs hiding, then it likely isn’t worth doing (with very very few exceptions). Instead, we need to go back to verse 15, find the straight path, find God’s way.
Follow Him and you won’t need to hide, take his hand and let God guide you in the way that is true and noble. Stay away from anything shady or underhanded, and live a life filled with His peace instead.