Walk of Life, Day 9 – September 2020 – Thoughts from the Book of Proverbs.
Proverbs 9:17 “Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
This verse reminds me of advertisements. Advertisements are used to promote a particular product. In order to sell their product, we find many salesmen who use different tricks in describing the product. Few people even lie about the product. Here in these verses, we find a woman who is describing the water and the bread. She not just describes them but also mentions the source from which the items were procured. The sweet waters are stolen ones and the bread is eaten in secret. The words may be true but they are the words of a foolish woman!! So do not be deceived.
Let us look at the first salesman in the Holy Bible, Satan. In Genesis 3;4,5 we read how beautifully he describes and attracts Eve to have that forbidden fruit. Satan was just doing his job and Eve chose to fall for it. His job is to sugarcoat a pill, that is to make sin appear as a deed of righteousness.
In verse 17 we read about water and bread. Both are essential commodities for a person to live. Satan knows that it is hard for him to get to us. So, he tries hard to deceive us. He does not come to you in the way you imagine or expect him to come. We read in the scriptures about Satan how subtle he is. Most of the time, he lures us by showing us our basic needs as a bait.
When we recollect the lives of Daniel and his three friends, we can understand the lesson which the above verse teaches us. (Read Daniel chapter 1). Daniel and his three friends did not go to Babylon on their own will. They were taken as captives to that place. A captive has no rights of his own. He has to follow the orders of his higher authorities. They were not given any menu card to choose what they want to eat. They were served food from the king’s table. In this tough circumstance, they did not look at their bondage, the delicious food, or their need to have the food. They stood firm on their decision not to defile themselves. Standing firm in their faith, they waited for the Lord to work on their behalf. God worked on their behalf by letting the prince of the eunuchs to consent with them.
My dear friends, when you receive something that you have been longing for, it might be a seat in desired college, a job, person to marry, do not jump out of joy, take it to Lord and know if it has come through the right channel an whether it is His perfect will in our life. Getting a job or a degree by giving a bribe is definitely not from God. Using political influence or influence of famous personnel to get a seat in a college or a job is also not from the Lord.
Stolen waters are sweet and bread that is eaten in secret is pleasant. However, it tastes bitter and makes your life unpleasant after a while. Learn to stand firm in your faith and wait upon the Lord.
