Proverbs 5:20,21

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 adultrey: 

Proverbs 5:20,21

For why should you, my son, be exhilarated with an adulteress and embrace the bosom of a foreigner?  For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He watches all his paths. 

In these two verses Solomon gives us an in-depth logical understanding of how to avoid adultery.   Adultery seems to be a popular outcome to sin, throughout the history of mankind.  Some of the greatest leaders, who should know better, have been caught in the proverbial bed of adultery.  Now, to be fair, Solomon is using adultery and the adulterous as a way to convey what happens when we desert God's wisdom and yield to our own folly.   When we do that, we commit spiritual adultery.   So, his point here is less about real, physical adultery and more about forsaking your commitment and choosing someone, or  something else, besides God and His wisdom.  Never-the-less the lesson here is the same:  When we are enticed to leave our commitment and yield to "adulterous" behavior, we are to remember, that God is watching and gazing on us.  Solomon uses the doctrine of God's omnipresence as his chief motivator for refraining from the sin of adultery ... why?  Why not use God's holiness; or God's judgement?  Why the emphasis on His awareness?  (Solomon actually does speak of God's wrath, discipline and holiness in other proverbs).  Here Solomon wants us to realize that God's gaze is through the eyes of His holiness and the heart of His righteousness.   Solomon knows the power of the "watching eye."  When we feel like we are being watched we have a different mind set on what we do.  If a policeman pulls up behind us we suddenly make sure we are "doing right."   His mere presence changes behavior and inflicts caution.   So, too the beauty of God's omnipresence.   God is watching.  Notice what the writer of Hebrews says about this truth of God watching:

Hebrews 4:12-13 (ESV Strong's)

12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Nothing is hidden before God’s eyes.   That should motivate us to watch our steps.