April 17 | Gold in a Pig’s Snout

Series | The Wisdom of Proverbs, Part 1

Scripture | Proverbs 11:22, “Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.”

Lesson 17 | Gold in a Pig’s Snout

Ouch! King Solomon in the above proverb gives a stern rebuke to beautiful women who have no discretion. The word “discretion” means, “lacking good judgment.” In other words, Solomon is saying when a beautiful woman lacks good judgment she is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout.

The illustration of a gold ring in a pig’s snout is meant to show the ridiculous nature of something beautiful in something disgusting. The picture the reader is to have is of defilement, waste, and disgust. Thus, Solomon is saying that when beautiful women lack good judgment in their sexual behavior it is disgusting and their beauty is wasted.

Now with this being true God is not giving Christians permission to be rude and vulgar to women who lack judgment and call them “pigs, sluts, or whores.” The Bible teaches we are to treat others with love as we would want to be treated. However, he is teaching that both men and women need to understand the concept of discretion (sound judgment). Because if a handsome man lacks good judgment his behavior is just as disgusting as the foolish woman.

Therefore, each person reading this proverb should be encouraged to use good judgment in regards to their sexuality. If a woman lacks good judgment and begins having sex before marriage, wears revealing clothes, talks perverted then she is wasting her beautify and acting in a disgusting way. The same is true with a man who cannot wait to be intimate with a woman until marriage, talks dirty, and watches pornography- he too is acting like a pig with a gold ring. 

As a result, each person should then act with discretion and not let the body be defiled by sin. Make a decision today to act with good judgment in regards to sexuality and live a life of holiness and purity pleasing to God!

Reflection | Do you possess discretion (good judgment) in your sex life? 

Action | (1) Ask God to show you if you lack any discretion in your sexuality. (2) Repent of any indiscretion you may have. (3) Lastly, ask God daily to give you discretion (good judgment).

One Year Reading Plan (Optional) | Joshua 15:1-63, Luke 18:18-43, Psalm 86:1-17, &Proverbs 13:9-10. Click here to read online.