DAILY HOPE DEVOTIONAL: SEPTEMBER 24 THE SWEETER, THE DEADLY (1) SCRIPTURE: PROVERBS 9: 17 – 18; 20: 17
We are in a world of luxury, world that the most desired is what gives the soul pleasures. Many only think of social enjoyments, sexual satisfaction and financial bliss. Many people go for what will give them emotional gratification. These days, very few people think twice on seeing open doors or business breakthrough. The adage of “all that glitters is not gold” has become old gospel. The above passage is a warning phrase, telling us to avoid running after “sweet things” in life. Proverbially, the passage is on a figurative deadly woman who prepared deadly home for a foolish man to enter. She looks beautiful, seductive, and put on smiling but deceitful face. Inside her house lies bed of deaths.
Looking for pleasures in life might not be considered a bad thing. But going for anything good and pleasurable in foolishness is a deadly adventure. In order to enjoy prestigious life, many have stolen what belongs to others with hope of enjoying them. In order to build the biggest mansion and stand out amongst your colleagues or everyone in your community, you had embezzled all the monies in your office or the organization you’re heading. You want to inherit the wealth of your wife or husband alone, so you poisoned her or he to death. This action is like what the lead passage referred to as “stolen water” by people. This water could symbolise resources. Yes, whatever you think will give you sweetness of life and gotten by covetousness can be stolen water to be enjoyed in secret. But the end may lead to deadly and regrettable experience.
Some people go after other people’s source of living, syphon everything to self for secret enjoyment. You can be clever today to wreck your boss completely and fly abroad to enjoy your life. This could mean the “bread eaten in secret” as seen in the text. The Bible said death is within such actions. Every sweeter side of life contains deadly results on the inside when embraced foolishly. It is the wish of this devotional that every human being weighs whatever is presented to him or her looking fantastically good. Don’t go with a seductive ladies or gentlemen. Don’t rush into business venture offered you in a platter of gold. Don’t accept juicy and promising political appointment suddenly given to you. All these may be traps to end your life or career. As the guests of the wicked and seductive ladies have ended up dying so are people with sleek legs running into breakthroughs in life. Many Christians have cut corners following someone sheepishly into marriages or businesses which ended up in bitterness. Hear the passage above in Africa Study Bible “Stolen water is refreshing; food eaten in secret tastes the best” but little do they know that the dead are there… Stop using your natural mind to accept deceptive offers! Prov. 20: 17 says “Stolen bread tastes sweet, but it turns to gravel in the mouth (Africa Study Bible).
PRAYERS:
1. FATHER LORD, in this world of evil and deceptions, help me know what pleasurable things I should pursue in life in Jesus name.
2. JEHOVAH MY FATHER, grant me divine wisdom to discern the inner minds of evil people around me in Jesus name.
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