The doorway isn't even in view

The folly of mistaking a paradox for a discovery, a metaphor for a proof, a torrent of verbiage for a spring of capital truths, and oneself for an oracle, is inborn in us. (Paul Valery)

The woman named Folly is brash. She is ignorant and doesn’t know it. She sits in her doorway on the heights overlooking the city. She calls out to men going by who are minding their own business. “Come in with me,” she urges the simple. To those who lack good judgment, she says, “Stolen water is refreshing; food eaten in secret tastes the best!” But little do they know that the dead are there. Her guests are in the depths of the grave. (Proverbs 9:13-18)

To those who lack good judgment - I daresay I have been there at times, how about you? Those moments when we act without thinking, speak without considering the impact of our words, or purchase without contemplating the impact on our lives happens to all of us on occasion. Folly is brash - there is much that calls out to us these days from the 'doorways of Folly'. We must learn how to identify the 'doorway' and stay far away from the entrance into sin!

What I probably find most telling from this passage is, "Stolen water is refreshing; food eaten in secret tastes the best." We don't 'indulge' our sin with open brashness most of the time. We secretly hope no one will notice that we opened that door and went right on in, don't we? That is often how we can tell something is not right for us - we need to hide it, hide that we have done it, or hide from its consequences as long as we can!

A fool rushes in. The wise take time to consider their path so they don't even go down that street! How can we guard against foolish pursuits that will land us in the place of death spiritually, emotionally, or physically? It begins as we consider the course of our day. Will it be time with Jesus as the first thing we engage in, or will we just launch out into the day, no consideration of the agenda he may have for us that day? The moment we choose to sit with Jesus is the moment there will be the greatest distractions, isn't it?

That moment cannot be bypassed, though. If we want to avoid the 'doorway' of the fool, we need to choose the path of the wise! The doorway won't even be in our view if we allow Jesus to direct our path. The time spent at his feet isn't wasted time - it is indeed the very thing that may direct our course from despair and disappointment into hope and reward. Just sayin!