Didn’t Your Mother Ever Tell You Not to Share?

            The Jewish mentality was to share in the blessings God bestowed on them.  This is especially prevalent when the Jews gathered on the day of Pentecost and were sharing their belongings with each other and selling goods to help others (Acts 2:44-45).  Based on this mentality, a Scripture that says quite the opposite is shocking.  Hear this wisdom, “Drink water from your own cistern, flowing water from your own well. Should your springs be scattered abroad, streams of water in the streets? Let them be for yourself alone, and not for strangers with you” (Proverbs 5:15–17, ESV).  In other words, get your own water, a seemingly counterintuitive statement in the Bible.

            When children play together and there are toys involved, it seems almost a given that there will arise some level of conflict.  With my brothers and me that level often reached fists to determine who got to play with what and for how long.  Many things in life are to be shared and our parents let us know in a hurry that we could either share or endure their wrath!  What the Proverb is pointing out is one of those things in life that is not to be shared by anyone else.  “Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth, a lovely deer, a graceful doe. Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight; be intoxicated always in her love. Why should you be intoxicated, my son, with a forbidden woman and embrace the bosom of an adulteress?” (Proverbs 5:18–20).

            How often to people think they can “get away with sin” because they assume nobody will ever know?  This is the seed question that Satan plants in our minds.  With adultery, Satan will convince that you can hide it from others and you will never be found out.  Do not be fooled.  Hear the rest of the wise man’s advice, “For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the Lord, and he ponders all his paths. The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him, and he is held fast in the cords of his sin. He dies for lack of discipline, and because of his great folly he is led astray” (Proverbs 5:21–23).  God knows and cares about our every move.  He loves you unconditionally and wants your discipline in obeying him.  So, draw water from your own well and do not share.