Proverbs 7:22-23, “He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it isfor his life.”

Proverbs 7 provides nine reasons why we often yield to temptation. The specific sin addressed in this chapter is adultery, but the lessons learned are applicable even if you are not struggling with that particular issue. While the proverb is also addressed from a father to a son, the wisdom is just as pertinent for females. God’s Word is relevant for all people of all times in all situations. Today’s devotion brings us to reason #8 for why we yield to temptation, and that is the failure to see beyond the immediate.

The young man in the proverb was offered immediate gratification. Temptation always promises and often delivers immediate gratification, but that is then always followed by destruction. The immediate prospect looks terrific, but the long-term result is terrible. Underneath the immediate, hidden by the allure, is the hook. No one has “fallen” into moral failure without failing to see beyond the immediate. They could only see or think about the next five minutes. In light of a lifetime, and eternity, those five minutes are never worth it.