16/11/07

SEE but do not LOOK

Proverbs 23:29-35
²⁹ Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
³⁰ They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
³¹ Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.
³² At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
³³ Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.
³⁴ Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.
³⁵ They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.


Many a times we make our minds to follow God's Word and to keep away from all evil. Then slowly something pops up and suddenly we find we have fallen to sin and problems comes up. We repent and try to avoid it, but yet again after some time we fall back in it! (v.35).

In Proverbs 23:31 the Word of God says "Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright." In some translations it is translated as "Look not thou upon the wine when it sparkles or when it moves", it is not of wine that we a cautioned of but the tempter working in different ways. It could be via the lust for the flesh, material or for food etc... We do not realize that temptation has been working on us in silent ways and we fall for it.

The Word of God cautions us about 'looking' not 'seeing'. We can not live in this world closing our eyes but when we know our weaknesses we should take caution. If we come across propagators of temptations like hoards of scantily dress women, girls dressed provocatively or an ad for latest electronic gadgets; seeing is okay, but looking is cautioned. Our Muslim brother believe once looking at women is okay but if you look twice you have sinned against her.

Looking is not seeing but observing, getting into small or great details. When we look our heart speaks to us and makes us crave for it (v.33). It may not be in the same area but when we have let our fort down an attack is easy for the enemy.

Even after falling we make our minds not to fall and yet again we fall. If we do not take caution when temptation is in its seed stage and crush it, we will find ourselves falling again and again.


[ Prayer for the Day ]

Lord Jesus, cover all my five senses with Your precious blood. Holy Spirit help me to control all the inputs that go into my being, so that my heart does not talk perverse things and I fall into sin. You are my guide, remind me, make me feel guilty the moment I am been tempted and lead me the way out by Your grace. This prayer I ask in Jesus' Name. Amen.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)