My child, if you have put up security for a friend’s debt or agreed to guarantee the debt of a stranger— if you have trapped yourself by your agreement and are caught by what you said— follow my advice and save yourself, for you have placed yourself at your friend’s mercy. Now swallow your pride; go and beg to have your name erased. Don’t put it off; do it now! Don’t rest until you do. Save yourself like a gazelle escaping from a hunter, like a bird fleeing from a net. Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones. Learn from their ways and become wise! Though they have no prince or governor or ruler to make them work, they labor hard all summer, gathering food for the winter. But you, lazybones, how long will you sleep? When will you wake up? A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— then poverty will pounce on you like a bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber. What are worthless and wicked people like? They are constant liars, signaling their deceit with a wink of the eye, a nudge of the foot, or the wiggle of fingers. Their perverted hearts plot evil, and they constantly stir up trouble. But they will be destroyed suddenly, broken in an instant beyond all hope of healing. There are six things the Lord hates— no, seven things he detests: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family. My son, obey your father’s commands, and don’t neglect your mother’s instruction. Keep their words always in your heart. Tie them around your neck. When you walk, their counsel will lead you. When you sleep, they will protect you. When you wake up, they will advise you. For their command is a lamp and their instruction a light; their corrective discipline is the way to life. It will keep you from the immoral woman, from the smooth tongue of a promiscuous woman. Don’t lust for her beauty. Don’t let her coy glances seduce you. For a prostitute will bring you to poverty, but sleeping with another man’s wife will cost you your life. Can a man scoop a flame into his lap and not have his clothes catch on fire? Can he walk on hot coals and 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. Excuses might be found for a thief who steals because he is starving. But if he is caught, he must pay back seven times what he stole, even if he has to sell everything in his house. But the man who commits adultery is an utter fool, for he destroys himself. He will be wounded and disgraced. His shame will never be erased. For the woman’s jealous husband will be furious, and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge. He will accept no compensation, nor be satisfied with a payoff of any size.
Proverbs 6:1-35 NLT
People are not born virtuous; virtue must be grown. When we are young, we are naturally selfish and pleasure-seeking. Those who don’t change these behaviors lead lives of disaster. The sooner we learn that God’s way is the best way, the better we are. God doesn’t only want to forgive our sins; He wants to transform our character. Every choice matters: every choice shapes our character. Will you follow Jesus with every choice?
No one is born hard-working; it is a character trait that must be developed. God expects us to work hard, and prayer is not a safety net for laziness. Over time, hard-working character is developed for those who regularly chose to do what is needed rather than what they want. One benefit of hard work is having enough to help others. Jesus taught us to give to the poor (Matt 6:3), and even be willing to give the shirt off our back (Matt 5:40). These Proverbs teach us not to be bound to the debt of others (6:1-5). If someone got in bad debt, there is a good chance they are not good with finances—it would be unwise to be tied to their financial choices. This does not mean we don’t help people, only that we need to be wise about how we help. We need to make sure that our helping is not hurting—enabling bad decisions, avoiding natural consequences, or preventing needed life change. The words of Jesus and Proverbs go together—we always do what it takes to help others.
How can you use what God has given you to help others? What are some choices you need to surrender to Jesus?
