Avoid the Door

Hello, and welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

I'm Sheridan Voisie, and I've titled today's reading, Avoid the Door. The Dormouse's nose twitched. Something tasty was nearby. Sure enough, the scent led to a bird feeder full of delicious seed. The Dormouse climbed down the chain to the feeder, slipped through the door, and ate and ate all night. Only in the morning did he realise the trouble he was in.

Birds now pecked at him through the feeder's door, but having gorged on the seed, he was now twice his size and unable to escape. Doors can lead us to wonderful places, or dangerous ones. A door features prominently in Solomon's advice in Proverbs 5 on avoiding sexual temptation. While sexual sin may be enticing, he says, trouble awaits if it's pursued. Best to stay far from it, for if you walk through that door, you'll be trapped, your honour lost, your wealth pecked away by strangers.

Solomon counsels us to enjoy the intimacy of our own spouse instead. His advice can apply to sin more broadly, too. Whether it's the temptation to overeat, overspend, or something else, God can help us to avoid the door that leads to entrapment.

The door mouse must have been happy when the homeowner found him in her garden bird feeder and freed him. Thankfully, God's hand is also ready to free us when we're trapped. But let's call on his strength to avoid the door of entrapment in the first place. Today's scripture reading is from Proverbs 5 verses 1 to 14. My son, pay attention to my wisdom.

Turn your ear to my words of insight, that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge. For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil. But in the end, she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword. Her feet go down to death, her steps lead straight to the grave.

She gives no thought to the way of life. Her paths wander aimlessly, but she does not know it. Now then, my sons, listen to me. Do not turn aside from what I say.

Keep to a path far from her. Do not go near the door of her house, lest you lose your honour to others and your dignity to one who is cruel, lest strangers feast on your wealth and your toil enrich the house of another. At the end of your life you will groan, when your flesh and body are spent. You will say, how I hated discipline, how my heart spurned correction.

I would not obey my teachers or turn my ear to my instructors, and I was soon in serious trouble in the assembly of God's people. Let's pray together. Almighty God, we confess to you that we are prone to stray from your good designs for our lives. Whether it's overeating, overspending, sexual sins or some other sin, we are prone to wanting what is not ours to have or having more than we actually need. Holy Spirit, would you help us to stay far away from the temptation that calls to us today. With your strength, we will avoid the door that leads to entrapment. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.