Proverbs - How NOT To Be

Proverbs 7:10-12

 And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.

 (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:

 Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)

                    Once again we can take a look at how we, as Christian women, should not present ourselves in this world.  This woman was not necessarily a harlot but certainly her dress was similar.  When I was a young single Christian I was frustrated because it seemed that all of the godly guys were never interested in me and only those guys in my church who wanted one thing would approach me.  I came before the Lord and asked Him about this matter.  He led me to a book by my pastor at the time and through the book told me that you catch whatever fish you bait your hook for.  I was reminded that if I looked like I was carnal, others would perceive me as this.  Although the Lord does truly look on the heart, we must realize that “...man looketh on the outward appearance.” (1 Sam 16:7)

                    Modesty is an issue always in vogue among Christian ladies, single and married. A Christian guy friend of mine in college once told me to use John the Baptist’s motto as a guideline. “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30 ) When we are at the beach on a hot August day and we wear a long-sleeved turtleneck and sweats we will draw attention to our bodies.  If we show up in even modest shorts and a t-shirt at a wedding we will increase in presence and get people’s eyes upon us.  One thing we can do is to take a portion of time and seek the Lord on His standards for our clothing based on our shape, culture and frame.  Take some time to sit in your room and ask Jesus to be the final authority on all in your life.  Ask Him for a humble mind and open heart for His instruction in righteousness.  Go to your closet and dresser and lay each item of clothing out and ask Him what He says about it.  He will guide you continually and truly if we acknowledge Him in all our ways, even clothing, He will direct our paths.

                    Another attribute we see in this woman is that she is loud and stubborn.  This word ‘loud’ tells us that she draws attention to herself in word and action.  Her presence intrudes on those who approach her.  This is very desired by the world we live in.  We must resist the temptation to make a name for ourselves, to speak all of our mind, to demand our own way and be the center of attention.  This is not the way of a woman who wants to please her Lord.  This loudness has to do with clamor, rage and moaning.  Do we complain and seek our own interests above others?  Do we have to be heard or we will make others listen to us?  Let us stop and in the quietness of our heart receive the Lord’s steadfast love allowing ourselves to take back seat to His presence and others’ interests.

She is also described as stubborn. The same Hebrew word used in this proverb is also used in Psalm 78:8: “And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.”  We see that stubbornness is associated with a heart that is not right as well as a spirit who is not steadfast with God.  As women of Christ we must be sure to have our hearts open and searched by His Spirit and Word.  When we do this and encounter His correction we find ourselves much more ready to admit when we are wrong and yield to better ways.  When our spirit is not set to receive from our God and we have interrupted fellowship with the Lord we will be tempted to lean on our own understanding.  This will result in having a higher opinion of ourselves and creating a stubborn self-willed attitude.

                    This woman is found out in the streets.  Our culture tries in every way to get us away from the home.  We must know why we are leaving our home and that the Lord has sent us there.  This woman was wandering without purpose and because of that she entered into a dangerous place of flirting with sin.  We don’t need to ‘hang out’ at the mall or ‘hang out’ at church.  Go there with a reason.  Whether it is to purchase a specific item or spend time with your children, do it with a purpose and be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading in reaching your world for Christ.