26 Give me your heart, my son,
And let your eyes [o]delight in my ways.
27 For a harlot is a deep pit
And an [p]adulterous woman is a narrow well.
28 Surely she lurks as a robber,
And increases the [q]faithless among men.29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has contentions? Who has complaining?
Who has wounds without cause?
Who has redness of eyes?
30 Those who linger long over wine,
Those who go to [r]taste mixed wine.
31 Do not look on the wine when it is red,
When it [s]sparkles in the cup,
When it goes down smoothly;
32 At the last it bites like a serpent
And stings like a viper.
33 Your eyes will see strange things
And your [t]mind will utter perverse things.
34 And you will be like one who lies down in the [u]middle of the sea,
Or like one who lies down on the top of a [v]mast.
35 “They struck me, but I did not become [w]ill;
They beat me, but I did not know it.
When shall I awake?
I will seek [x]another drink.”
Like Solomon, God calls to each of us, and says, “Give me your heart, my child, and let your eyes delight in my ways.” But why is it so difficult for us to give up control, to choose God’s ways instead of our own? Solomon delves into a couple different traps here, with quite the descriptions to put us on full alert.
First we have the harlot, but let’s be honest, we don’t need to go to Las Vegas or even a strip club to fall into this trap. Technology has brought it to our doorstep, and it is a deep pit, lurking, and ready to ensnare anyone who lets their guard down. The siren call is blaring in our ears and assaulting our minds constantly, so it is no wonder the faithless increase.
Then we have the wine, which seems so inviting, but in the end it “stings like a viper.” It isn’t your friend, but so many seek solace from alcohol. Yet the end is telling, as we see the drunkard stuck, but unaware, beaten, and completely out of his mind. Strong drink makes us say and do things we would never do otherwise, and for some that is the point.
Ultimately, there is no control in either case, it has been given to the lewd woman or the wine. We hesitate to give control to God, yet at the drop of a hat, we give control to our vices, whether women, wine, gluttony, or anything else. When we give in to our flesh, we give up control. Let us rather find self-control, the fruit of God’s Spirit.
When we surrender to Him, we find the power to control our flesh. It’s so ironic, but there it is, we cannot have control unless we first give it up. Unless we yield to God’s way, reining in our heart and mind will be ever elusive. Seek Him first, and all these things shall be added. Seek something else, and you’ll wind up in a deep bit, or a drunken stupor. I know which one I’d rather choose, and choose we must, every single day. Choose wisely, and delight in His ways.