Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 168 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom.

Proverbs [5:15]-23 Making Wise Choices #3

Thank you for joining us for our 7 days a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 168 of our Trek, and yesterday we explored verses 7-14 of Proverbs chapter 5. We will remain at camp for today as we finish up the 5^th chapter of Proverbs before heading back out on the trails. If you miss any of our Wisdom-Trek episodes, please go to Wisdom-Trek.com to listen to them and read the daily journal.

We are recording our podcast from our studio at Home2 in Charlotte, North Carolina. This past week has been a productive week for us, and we accomplished a significant amount of work. I have been struggling somewhat with either severe allergies or a cold, which probably has been evident in the quality of my voice on our daily trek’s this week. I trust that this has not been too distracting and that the lessons we are learning are still effective.

This episode is being released on Sunday this week. Paula and I plan to take our grandson Kip with us on Saturday to Mary Jo’s, which is a fabric outlet in Gastonia, North Carolina. Granny wants Kip to help her select the materials that she will use for his planned quilt that she will be making. I also enjoy spending the time with Paula and helping her decide on material selection for her on-going quilt projects. She is very talented with quilting and cross stitch.

For today, though, we want to spend one more day around our campfire as we explore the remaining verses in Proverbs Chapter 5. Just like a campfire can be extremely enjoyable when it is kept within the confines of its designated parameters, so the physical relationship between a husband and wife will bring much joy and pleasure when it is kept within the boundaries set out by God in His Word. The Bible is so full of practical wisdom for life, especially in the book of Proverbs. This includes what makes for a proper and fulfilling physical relationship within a marriage. I realize that not everyone has been as fortunate within a marriage relationship as Paula and I have for over 36 years now, but it is never too late to make a new beginning.

Let’s look at what Solomon recommends to his sons when it comes to the proper physical relationship between a husband and wife.  For today’s Trek, we will explore verses 15-23 of the 5^th chapter of Proverbs. I trust that some of the candid language used in this passage will be taken in the light that it was written and not tainted by any secular views. There is nothing more pure or holy than the appropriate physical relationship between a husband and wife within the boundary of marriage. Let us start with verses 15-17.

¹⁵ Drink water from your own well—
share your love only with your wife.
¹⁶ Why spill the water of your springs in the streets,
having sex with just anyone?
¹⁷ You should reserve it for yourselves.
Never share it with strangers.

Here Solomon uses the analogy of the physical relationship in marriage and compares it to water. In dry countries, which is the setting for which the book of Proverbs was written, water is valuable. Clean water is very precious. You should not waste water. It should not flow into the streets. It should not pour out, into the town. Your family and your animals should drink it. You should water your crops. Use it wisely!

Think about your own life in the same way. You should use your strength wisely. If you follow your base physical and emotional desires, you will waste your energy on something that is not yours to have. You should have sex with only your husband or wife and not with anyone else. Our lives belong to God. God has shown us how we should live. Out of our love for God, we should obey His instructions. Our lives are always enriched when we do.  The physical relationship is compared to your own wells which belong only to you (verse 15), so a husband and wife belong together.

¹⁸ Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you.
Rejoice in the wife of your youth.
¹⁹ She is a loving deer, a graceful doe.
Let her breasts satisfy you always.
May you always be captivated by her love.
²⁰ Why be captivated, my son, by an immoral woman,
or fondle the breasts of a promiscuous woman?

Marriage is God’s gift. A husband and wife should give themselves to each other. They should enjoy their marriage in all aspects – physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually. They should love each other. They attract each other, and this is good.

²¹ For the Lord sees clearly what a man does,
examining every path he takes.

Perhaps, like David, we do some wrong things in secret (2 Samuel Chapters 11 and 12). A woman might tempt a man or the other way around. They might think that nobody knows. They are wrong because God knows. He sees our secret actions. He knows everything that we do in private. Like David, if we have done wrong things, we should turn to God. David’s prayer in Psalm 51 will help us to understand why we must ask God to forgive us.

²² An evil man is held captive by his own sins;
they are ropes that catch and hold him.
²³ He will die for lack of self-control;
he will be lost because of his great foolishness.

The evil man is foolish and not wise. He thinks that he is free, but his evil behavior will make him into a slave. He can hide his actions from other people, but he cannot hide from God. In Numbers 32:23 Moses wrote, “But if you fail to keep your word, then you will have sinned against the Lord, and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.” This man’s evil behavior will destroy him. This man should invite God into his life. This man needs to ask God to forgive him. God will save the evil man, but only if the man trusts God.

As we reflected around our campfire today, we used the analogy that the best campfire is one that is contained within it preset parameters. In the same way, the physical relationship between a husband and wife must be kept within God’s guidelines for a proper marriage. I realize that many have made choices in the past that are warned about in Proverbs 5, and there is nothing that we can do about the past.  We can start today, though, and make a brand new future – one that is in line with God’s precepts.

The life lessons that we learn each day are valuable to everyone we meet. So, encourage your friends and family to the join us each day and come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy as we head back out on the trail in search for hidden gems and treasures that are found in making wise choices. These choices made each day will allow us to create the living legacy that we desire.

That will finish our podcast for today. Remember to listen to your daily dose of wisdom on Wisdom-Trek.com, or subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, Spreaker, SoundCloud, Stitcher, or YouTube so the episodes will be downloaded to you automatically each day. Please share Wisdom-Trek with your family and friends through email, Facebook, Twitter, or in person so they can come along with us each day.

Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal each day.

As we take this Trek together, let us always:

1. Live Abundantly (Fully)
2. Love Unconditionally
3. Listen Intentionally
4. Learn Continuously
5. Lend to others Generously
6. Lead with Integrity
7. Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow!