Proverbs 7:6-9

⁶At the window of my house I looked down through the lattice. ⁷I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who had no sense. ⁸He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house ⁹at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in.

TGIF

What is T.G.I.F.? It’s “Thank God it’s Friday!” Do you feel great on Fridays? Many people do. They can or want to relax of Fridays. Scientifically, it’s beneficial to relax for a time, especially, if you are forced to do what you don’t like to do.

Someone said, “Take a job that you love to do and you won’t labor for the rest of your life.” If you love your work, you want be at your place of work most of the time and not dreaming to be somewhere. But of course, a little rest here and there is helpful to the mind and body. Well what do you usually do to relax?

Many people choose to hang around with friends; they talk about things in life or even their dreams; some would just repeat ideas that they shared before. Good friends can sit together, even in silence. Surely, there are companions who are not very sensible; some may prefer to explore night life. Night life can be very attractive to anyone, young or old, who are prodigally extravagant. What can you imagine about night life? Night life may include harmful vices, singing, dancing, lewd or indecent shows. Should believers desire such prodigal, reckless night life?

New pastor in town

There’s a pastor who served in an inner city. One night, he went into a night club. All of a sudden, a deacon of the church came in and saw him. “Hey! Pastor! What are you doing here?” the deacon asked. The pastor was startled but calmly, he said, “I am observing the people here to understand better about night life in the inner city! How about you? Why are you here, deacon?” “Same here, same here, Pastor. I want also to know better about inner city life!” the deacon said.

Did that give you clever answer if you’re caught in a night club? Better not go into a night club, even with holistic intent. It might not be harmless as you may think. So, better not to go where your faith will be tested. You might be tempted.

How do you personally interpret the warning in James 1:13-15? ¹³When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; ¹⁴but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. ¹⁵Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

It’s not foolish to avoid possible temptation to immorality. It’s a very smart choice. It makes a lot of sense to stay away from prodigal and reckless individuals.

1. No Sense

⁶At the window of my house I looked down through the lattice. ⁷I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who had no sense.

Young people want to belong. They want to hang around some friends. It is favorable sometimes but not very easy choice to be alone. Certainly, friends want you also to be with them, especially, if your presence is favorable to them. Those who love sports, they want to be with friends who love sports. Those who love music, they want to hang around friends who are musically inclined, for sure.

During my younger years in the countryside, I had friends who’re musically talented. We played music very loudly. So, when we were jamming or want to play loud music, we go to the river bank so that nobody was disturbed. City life is more diverse. There were times when we went to Folk Houses to listen to music. Just imagine other night life activities that could have pressured us to consider.

Anyone can be tempted into immorality. It is natural instinct of human to entertain pleasure and leisure in the flesh. What a burden we may struggle with!

Apostle Paul had testified of his struggles in Romans 7:21-25, ²¹Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. ²²For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; ²³but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. ²⁴What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? ²⁵Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Attractive temptations may distract us spiritually, and not just immorality or night life. There’s temptation to acquire more material things; temptations for power, for glory are a reality that we can readily observe somewhere else.

Political drama here and abroad can be entertaining but, it is not favorable to citizens. When opposing groups attack, elected officials may concentrate on defending their political image. How could they focus on fulfilling the promises they made during campaign days? We’ve got to be prayerful for elected officials.

Personally, how do you interpret what had been stated in Jeremiah 29:7?

⁷Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.

In spring, it’s not amusing to drive around potholes. Let’s pray for wisdom for concerned officials. There’s still light at the end of the tunnel, so they say.

2. No Light

⁸He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house ⁹at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in.

Pertaining to the youth who had no sense, he prefers streets with no light. His instinct yearns after pleasure in the flesh waiting in the dark. Darkness offers some sort of creepy feeling that may tickles the flesh. Anyone can be victimized.

How do people behave during concerts? Have you been to concerts with no dancing lights, where audience placidly listens to music quietly? Attendees can be wild during concerts; they do not pay attention to others. They are not bothered by what others may think of their behavior. They just want to shout aloud, release and express their fantastic feeling at the moment, in dancing or loud singing.

Some worship leaders may think that dancing lights can spark worshippers to actively worship with body language. Some preachers prefer preaching in dark places so that church attendees may focus on them and not on their neighbors.

Is there any biblical foundation of worshipping and preaching in darkness?

Prayerfully, let us understand what had been declared in John 3:19-21:

¹⁹This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. ²⁰Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. ²¹But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

How strong are you convinced that this verdict is final? The term “verdict” means decision, sentence or divine judgment. To believe it, to disregard it cannot eliminate the consequence. Believers accept it as warning to follow and live by the truth. We would rather desire reward from God than punishment, right?

Jesus Christ declared in John 15:18-21, ¹⁸If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. ¹⁹If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. ²⁰Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. ²¹They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.

Telling the truth or speaking against unbiblical practices will certainly invite hostility. Well, persecution affirms that we are Christ’s disciples. Take note of it!