Proverbs 23:33
“Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart will utter perverse things.”
In context, this verse is a result of becoming intoxicated with wine or strong drink. As a matter of fact, the Old King James translators stated it this way:
“Your eyes shall see strange women…”
It is thought provoking to realize that just the act of becoming intoxicated will bring about visions of strange women. It can be understood that at times someone will be intoxicated around other people and sometimes they will drink alone. If that is the case, then how does this verse ardently state that the drunkard will see strange women? 1 Peter 5:8 displays that the sober mind is the only mind that is able to remain vigilant against the attacks of the enemy and as such must be maintained. The wicked one will attack whenever and wherever he has opportunity, however, the attack that is described in Proverbs 23:33, albeit subtle to our reading eye, can devastate the life of the believer in two ways.
Fist, the wicked one will take advantage of a drunkard’s repulsion of inhibitions in his state of drunken unconsciousness. This commonly exhibits itself in him sending sirens or loose people- men or women to surround the drunken person. These people sent can be real or they can be through media or even in the mind of the person as a fantasy. Therefore, if the person sent is real or not real, the drunkard’s body knows no difference and it will be much easier to carry out acts of immoral sexual behavior when the opportunity next presents itself. The purpose for this attack is strategic because it is only through immoral sexual behavior that the darkness can become one flesh with the light {1 Corinthians 6:16-18}The joining of these two contradictory forces brings confusion and ultimate destruction of the drunkard since this is the only sin committed against one’s own body.
Second, when the drunkard is in his {or her} state of intoxication and their inhibitions no longer act as a moral safety net, they begin to speak things that they would normally refrain their tongues from. The wicked one will use this bridle-less tongue to bring about creative curses on the lives of the drunkard or anyone they speak to or about. This is a state of unguarded speech and unguarded speech is close to death for death and life are in the power of the tongue. Indeed, both Proverbs 13:3 and 21:23 caution that an unguarded mouth brings destruction.
Although all of these lessons are true and necessary in the life of the believer to steer them free of the devastating result of intoxication, there is a principle that must be extracted here that is pervasive throughout the human condition. When a person allows themselves to see strange women {things}, their hearts will utter perverse things through their mouths.
The concept of “strange” as defined by Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of Old and New Testament words refers to a person who is a stranger in their nationality and therefore their belief systems, customs, religious practices, etc. They are those who are opposed to the ways and precepts of the Holy One of Israel by virtue of the fact that they do not yield to His dictates nor wisdom. When a person becomes intoxicated {as has already been indicated} that person relieves themselves of the strictness of their inhibitions and moral constructs- even just for a time. This “city without walls” as it were is no longer discriminatory with its company and therefore is easily swayed to believe things that contradict the knowledge of God. These slight but powerful shifts in paradigm will cause the heart to become confused and as such, the heart will utter words that are perverse- or contrary to the Word of God. To speak contrary to the wisdom of God is to curse one’s life for life only comes from God, there is no other way to receive and walk in life- He is the life giver.
In the same way a drunkard loses control of his mighty fortifying diligence, a sober man can choose to turn to the right hand or the left and become slack concerning what is good thereby seeing strange things and uttering perverse words. In either case, a choice is made- a decision mounted that brings chaos and destruction for if the eyes see strange things, the mouth utters perverse words.
Therefore, beloved, guard your eyes and your mind’s eye from seeing strange things that you may be sound of utterance and sound of life.
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