The Adulterous Tongue

Proverbs 6:23-26, “For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life: To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman. Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids. For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.”

There is certainly nothing wrong with enjoying beauty, but misplaced desire will often become captivity. The adulteress uses smooth words and alluring eyes to hunt the unwary. Her cost seems small in the moment, but she wages war on a precious life. Sin always underestimates its price tag. A moment of lust trades a legacy for a handful of dust. God created sexuality as a gift to only be enjoyed within the marital covenant, not squandered as a wandering impulse. When you guard your heart’s desire, you protect what matters most. Jesus looked at the heart, teaching that lust is adultery before it is action (Matthew 5:28). The Holy Spirit gives believers power to avert the eyes and flee the smooth lie (i.e. “the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.”) Do not negotiate with temptation. Run from it. What looks like pleasure in the flesh is a snare to the soul. Keep your focus on Christ, and let His holiness guard your gaze.

Act today: Identify one visual or media habit that stirs unhealthy desire. Confess and forsake that sin. Delete the app or whatever it is. Ask a trusted friend to hold you accountable and pray for the Spirit’s strength to guard your eyes and heart.