The Cruel Truth

(Proverbs 5:9 KJV)  Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel:

How many forms does the “cruel one” (394) take?  I like the way the KJV does not add “one” to make this sound like a personal being, say Satan.  The context is sex outside marriage.  The standard is that it is sin.  The knowledge that God has is that misusing this great gift if cruel.

You don’t see it?  I had a discussion with a thirteen year old child.  He told me that learning history was a waste of time.  He would never be able to use any of it.  I complimented him on the tremendous wisdom that his thirteen years had given him since he knew more about life than I did at 65.  Just because you don’t see or understand doesn’t mean that something is not true.

If you like the NASB as “cruel one” instead of “cruel” then ask yourself if you become the cruel one when you get involved with someone you are not already married to.  Do you tear down?  Do you defile?  Do you manipulate and lie? 

So?  God has reasons for His standards.  He is holy.  He expects us to be holy, not cruel.