Proverbs 7

I was reading in Proverbs 7 this morning and noticed something.

7 And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,
8 Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house,
9 In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:
10 And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.
11 (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:
12 Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)
13 So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,
14 I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.
15 Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
16 I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.
19 For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:
20 He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.
21 With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.
22 He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;
23 Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.
(I bolded for emphasis)

I've read this passage several times over the years and haven't given it much thought. This morning I realized that if we put ourselves in the wrong place at the wrong time (vs. 8/9), then the decision's been made. (vs. 13/21). The harlot caught him, she caused him to yield, she forced him. The young man didn't choose to go with the harlot. He chose to make himself available to her. Applying this to my life, I see that it is even more important that I watch where I go places and when I go places. Even if I have no intentions of sinning, if I put myself in the wrong place at the wrong time, I may get caught up in the sin and not have a choice. It will find me. (vs. 15).

Becca