Drink from Your Own Well
Paulette Fraticelli
(Prov 9:17,18 CEV) "Stolen water tastes best, and the food you eat in secret tastes best of all." None who listen to Stupidity understand that her guests are as good as dead.
In our last message Solomon introduced us to Ms. Foolishness - the polar opposite of Lady Wisdom. Ms. Foolishness' words are as damaging and destructive as Lady Wisdom's words are edifying and uplifting. Here she says, "Stolen water tastes best, and the food you eat in secret tastes best of all." To understand what she means by stolen water we must understand the setting.
Solomon wrote this at a time where water was a precious commodity. If you had your own well, then you had a valuable resource. What Ms. Foolishness is saying is that the water from someone else's well always tastes better.
Other translations say that it is "sweet." Her underlying message is that all prohibited/unlawful lusts and pleasures are desirable to men; at least the men she associates with. She paints a picture of a sweet enjoyment in doing wrong, in delving into evil, in partaking of the forbidden, in drinking from another man's well (or sleeping with another man's wife).
(Prov 9:17,18 CEV) "Stolen water tastes best, and the food you eat in secret tastes best of all." None who listen to Stupidity understand that her guests are as good as dead.
In our last message Solomon introduced us to Ms. Foolishness - the polar opposite of Lady Wisdom. Ms. Foolishness' words are as damaging and destructive as Lady Wisdom's words are edifying and uplifting. Here she says, "Stolen water tastes best, and the food you eat in secret tastes best of all." To understand what she means by stolen water we must understand the setting.
Solomon wrote this at a time where water was a precious commodity. If you had your own well, then you had a valuable resource. What Ms. Foolishness is saying is that the water from someone else's well always tastes better.
Other translations say that it is "sweet." Her underlying message is that all prohibited/unlawful lusts and pleasures are desirable to men; at least the men she associates with. She paints a picture of a sweet enjoyment in doing wrong, in delving into evil, in partaking of the forbidden, in drinking from another man's well (or sleeping with another man's wife).
If Lady Wisdom had her turn to speak she would tell us to enjoy the water we have legal access to, to enjoy the company and companionship of our own spouse, and to be content with all that God has blessed us with. Earlier in Proverbs Solomon plainly stated: "Drink water from your own well" (5:15).Ms. Foolishness goes on to say, "The food you eat in secret tastes best of all." This is a reference to partaking in secret sin; in thinking that you are getting away with something just because no one else knows about it.
These private lusts are as destructive as public ones, or even more so, because the person partaking of them thinks he/she is getting away with it. Make no mistake, you might fool people, but you will never fool God. God sees it all and we will all have to give account for everything (private and public) we have done. Solomon stops speaking under the role of Ms. Foolishness long enough to say, "None who listen to Stupidity understand that her guests are as good as dead." Those who were foolish enough to enter her home, listen to her words, and apply her twisted logic are as good as dead-men-walking. They may think they are enjoying life while they are living for the moment, but they are deceived. True life and pleasure is found in Christ; and His pleasure comes without side affects. There are no hangovers in God. You can enjoy yourself every day without any after affects. So what does this mean? It means you need to be careful. Ever since Adam indulged himself with the forbidden fruit men have been born with a fallen nature. I call this the Adamic nature. Whenever you tell someone that they CAN'T have something, the Adamic nature feeds a hunger and desire for the forbidden.
That's why you must understand what happened when you gave your life to Christ. When you were Born-Again you received a new nature, spiritually speaking, but you did not receive a new mind. Your Spirit was renewed instantly, but your mind must be renewed progressively. I like to say, "The new man, in an old body, needs a new mind." That's why reading messages like
That's why you must understand what happened when you gave your life to Christ. When you were Born-Again you received a new nature, spiritually speaking, but you did not receive a new mind. Your Spirit was renewed instantly, but your mind must be renewed progressively. I like to say, "The new man, in an old body, needs a new mind." That's why reading messages like
this, regularly attending church services and Bible studies, and reading the Word for yourself are so vitally important. These all help you to renew your mind (Rom 12:1,2) and your mind must be renewed if you are going to ignore the counsel of Ms. Foolishness and apply the counsel of Lady Wisdom.
Father, I thank You for giving me the ability to discern between right and wrong, between righteous and unrighteous, between Ms. Foolishness and Lady Wisdom. I declare, by faith, that I develop a hunger and thirst for the things that are pleasing to You. I drink from my own well. I enjoy my own spouse. I am content with all that You have blessed me with and I will not covet that which belongs to another. I renew my mind, by reading, receiving, believing, and applying Your Word. My renewed mind enables me to ignore my old nature and to walk in the newness of the life You have provided for me in Christ! In Jesus' name. Amen.
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