1. We all like to hear kind things about ourselves, but it’s important to discern the difference between flattery and praise. As Pastor Randy put it, flattery wants to get something out of you, while praise wants to put something in you. We see in Proverbs 7 that by using flattery, the woman got the young man to forgo the boundaries that wisdom would’ve prevented him from crossing. Take time this week to consider how often you use flattery vs. praise. How can you be more intentional about offering kind words of encouragement to others? How can you be more intentional about not waiting until you want something to offer kind words?
2. When we leave God’s boundaries, we open ourselves up to attacks that otherwise wouldn’t have been able to reach us. We see this when the young man in Proverbs 7 allows himself to get caught up with the woman seeking to set a trap for him. Sometimes, the danger isn’t always someone else or even Satan. At times, we can be dangerous to ourselves. Can you share about a time you didn’t respect a boundary and got hurt as a result? What lasting lesson did you take away from the experience?
3. We must bow down and submit ourselves to God’s boundaries. When we get off track, we need to be able to refer back to scripture to help us get back on course. What is a scripture that you lean on when you find yourself getting further away from God? How did that come to be your go-to scripture?
