Shame And Disgrace

Can a man [or woman] scoop fire into his lapand not be burned?Can he walk on hot coalsand not blister his feet?So it is with the man who sleeps with another man’s wife.He who embraces her will not go unpunished. . . .But the man who commits adultery is an utter fool,for he destroys his own soul.Wounds and constant disgrace are his lot.His shame will never be erased.For the woman’s husband will be furious in his jealousy,and he will have no mercy in his day of vengeance.There is no compensationor bribe that will satisfy him.

Proverbs 6:27-29, 32-35

Today’s proverb starts with a rhetorical question: “Can a man [or a woman] scoop fire into his lap and not be burned? The answer is “No, of course not.” You would be crazy to think you could. So why do some people think they can play around with the fire of adultery and not end up with scars and ashes? Why?

Adultery—how easy it is to fall into, but how deep are the wounds. I remember a friend telling me her story. As a child her family’s world revolved around the church. All of her best memories are of her time there with the family of God. But one day when she was just six, her parents had a meeting with someone in the church office. They sent her outside. She heard screaming and cursing. She knew something terrible had happened and her mom was to blame. When they left, her dad never returned home and they never went back to church. It was adultery. Adultery changed her entire childhood.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Has your heart been broken by the damage of adultery in your own family or those you love? Maybe you are the one who fell. John 8 relates Jesus’ encounter with a woman “caught in the act.” If you haven’t read it lately, will you turn to it and relive the scene? As painful as it is to read, it ends with an amazing moment of grace. Just simply Jesus says, “Neither do I [condemn you]. Go and sin no more” (John 8:11). Nothing less, nothing more.

One Year Bible Reading

Exodus 17:8–19:15; Matthew 22:34–23:12; Psalm 27:7-14; Proverbs 6:27-35