“With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him. He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter.”
The Battle
This proverb names something worth examining directly, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, worth holding as striking, unflattering image, this young man’s own actual movement described not as tragic accident but as this genuinely, willingly followed path, straightway, directly, toward his own real harm.
This is worth applying against however much your own movement toward temptation has felt like something happening to you passively, rather than this proverb’s own honest description, genuine, active following, worth examining honestly whether your own steps have similarly, actually moved directly toward whatever eventually harms you.
Notice the ox does not know, in this image, the actual danger it walks toward, worth holding as this proverb’s own point, this lack of awareness itself part of the actual danger, worth examining whether your own movement toward temptation has included this same, honest lack of awareness about its actual, eventual cost.
Consider today whether you have been walking, like this described ox, straightway toward your own genuine harm, without full awareness of the actual danger, and receive this proverb’s own vivid warning as needed correction, worth taking seriously rather than continuing this same, unaware, straightway movement.
Walk in the Spirit
- Consider honestly whether your own movement toward temptation resembles this described, unaware walking.
- Name specifically the actual danger you may be walking toward without full awareness.
- Change direction today, deliberately, rather than continuing this straightway movement.
Prayer
Lord, let me not go, like an ox to the slaughter, unaware, straightway toward my own harm. Give me genuine awareness of the actual danger, and let me change direction today. Amen.
Carry this today
Movement toward temptation is often unaware, straightway walking, not merely passive accident.