Proverbs 5:14

 The book of Proverbs gives us a lot of instruction on a lot of different subjects. One subject that can keep us in God’s wisdom is Godly Follower-ship. Who we follow; where we follow; how we follow are all spoken about in Proverbs. Here is one of them about falling into ruin;

Proverbs 5:14 (NASBStr)

“I was almost in utter ruin

In the midst of the assembly and congregation.”

In the above proverb we read the words of a young man who failed to follow the wisdom provided by his father.   He comes to the point to realize that if had he listened to the words of his father, he would have had safety.   Not only did it ruin him, it also destroyed his reputation.   It might have seemed like a minor issue at the time.  But, the failure to follow those instructions also cost him his reputation.   Note what Solomon stated in another proverb in another book. In Ecclesiastes 10:1 he tells us that a little folly in a life can ruin a complete reputation.  Note:

Ecclesiastes 10:1 (NASBStr)

Dead flies make a perfumer’s oil stink, so a little foolishness is weightier than wisdom and honor.

The good standing the son once had in the congregation and the support he once enjoyed, is now gone.   He is in ruin in the assembly and congregation.   Such is the plight for the one who rejects the wisdom that can come through the wisdom of a father and mother.   God uses parents as conduit for His wisdom.   When the child rejects that wisdom they lose their support structure.  This is probably a support structure that they rebelled against to begin with when their parents laid out the rules.   Those rules and curfews were protection and support.  Now he stands, alone, in the middle of the assembly with no support and in utter ruin.   Such is the path for the one who rejects the Godly wisdom conveyed through the rudimentary methods of imperfect and, perhaps, rebellious parents.

This proverb appears in a dialogue Solomon has composed about the fate of those who forsake wisdom and ignore their teachers.  Some think that when they ignore truth there is little recourse.  That thought is the farthest thing from the truth.   When we reject truth there are "utter" consequences."   When we reject God's word (wisdom) we not only fall into ruin we do so in public ... in  the "midst of the assembly and congregation."  Rejection of truth will amount to public shame.   We can't reject God's Word and still remain in peace and safety.  When we reject the truth of God's word and don't listen to our teachers we can only expect judgment and shame.   God offers His truth for us to embrace.  When we reject it we will find public shame in our path.  Think of David.  He rejected God's truth and we remember him for his adultery and his public shame.   Hold to truth and public shame will not be in your future.