[The adulteress] took hold of [the youth who lacked judgment] and kissed him and with a brazen face she said:  "I have fellowship offerings at home; today I fulfilled my vows" (Proverbs 7:13-14).

It's not just "bad girls" who pose a threat to marital fidelity and sexual purity.  On the contrary, it's often the "good girls" who are an even greater temptation!  Adultery doesn't always result from someone "looking for trouble" and consciously bucking against one's moral code.  Most of the time, I'd guess, it's an accident -- when two decent, respectable, generally-virtuous people fall for each other:  co-workers, friends, maybe even members of the same church or small group!  This doesn't make their affair any less wrong or adulterous; it just means that such temptation might be a lot closer than what we might typically think.

Isn't it odd that the affair described in Proverbs chapter 7 starts with the woman referencing her acts of religious devotion?  Wouldn't this normally seem like a kill-joy or a turn-off?!?  It's not the way I would script a steamy love scene, anyway!  "Oh, hi there.  I just dropped off a check at the church office that fulfills our commitment to the building campaign.  Now let's make out..."  That sounds pretty comical, doesn't it?  Yet that's basically how the interaction in Proverbs 7 starts out.

When I examine my own heart and the temptations I experience, though, I realize that there really is something to this scenario.  Honestly -- even though I live in Amsterdam, not so far from one of the most celebrated Red Light District's in the whole world -- I'm not very much tempted by sex shows and possibilities for prostitutes.  True:  I don't generally make a habit of hanging out in that part of the city; but even when I do go by, it just doesn't seem all that appealing to me.  Actually, it feels a little bit gross!  On the other hand, however, there are a lot of attractive women in my own church in Amsterdam; and if anything, it's these women who present the greater temptation.  They represent more than sexual temptation or physical temptation; they offer relational temptation.  It's precisely because of their emotions and spirituality -- combined with their physical beauty and availability, of course -- that makes them the greater, more practical object of my temptation.  Of course they're not trying to be tempting, but their virtue makes them even more attractive!  And what's worse:  because I perceive them to be virtuous and godly, I can also be tempted to let my guard down a bit, to not protect my heart from unhealthy entanglement as much as I should -- because I rationalize, "Even if I ever fell for her, it wouldn't become a problem because she'd never go for that..." Do you see what I mean?  When I ignore the relational dangers of these "good girls" right in front of me, I set myself up for even greater potential to fall.

So I'm glad for the reminders of Proverbs 5, 6, and 7.  I need the continual warning and accountability, to keep my heart pure.  I don't have to be afraid of women in general; but I do need to be realistic.  I do well to steer as clear as possible from temptation -- whether it be in the form of "naughtiness" or "righteousness."  And to me, at least being aware of this potential dynamic is part of the victory.