The chapter starts with King Solomon advising his son not to fall into dangerous promises. Surety for your friend means putting up security for someone else’s loan. Though it doesn’t make sense, many people make themselves responsible for another’s debt and pledge to pay if the other defaults. To such, Solomon says to deliver themselves as soon as possible. Financial deals can lead to painful experiences and must be ended as soon as you realize your error.

Solomon’s point is that if we know that we need to do something, then we just need to do it. The text clearly tells us NOT to procrastinate. To procrastinate means: to delay what needs to be done; to put it off to a future time. To give us a vivid picture of the urgency of doing something that we know God wants us to get done, Solomon paints a picture of a deer running from a hunter or a bird flying from a trapper. Only if the deer and the bird are very swift in their action can they save their lives. A little delay can cost them their lives.

The lesson of this proverb also applies to other parts of life especially spiritual. We find many around us who keep on delaying or procrastinating about their own salvation. They have their own excuses for it like— “I will later; but not now,” “I don’t know enough yet,” “I am not good enough yet,” “I want to wait for my spouse/parents/children…” and so on.

All those who have these excuses, little do they know that procrastination is one of Satan’s greatest weapons. Satan won’t convince you that reading your Bible is bad – just that you don’t have time for it today! He won’t tell you prayer is ineffective – just that you will have more time to get around to doing it tomorrow. So putting them off for a later time is a slow but sure way to backsliding!

To those who have put off salvation/repentance for another day…..God says in 2Corinthians 6:2, “Now is the accepted time…” Again, in Psalm 95:7-8, “Today, if only you would hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” Death comes unexpectedly. After death it’s time to face judgment (Hebrews 9:27). The rich fool in Jesus’ parable thought he had plenty of time to enjoy life, but God had some other news for him: “This night your life will be required from you.” (Luke 12:16-20). We have today – use it wisely, don’t delay.

Would we delay in taking appropriate action if we knew that there was a bomb in our house that could explode at any moment? Or we had a terminal illness if left untreated? The Bible says in Matthew 10:28: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”

When Paul and Silas were miraculously released from the prison, the keeper of the prison cried out, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe on the LORD Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.” (Acts 16:25-33). On the day of Pentecost those who were convicted of their sin cried asking, “What shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”(Acts 2:37-38).

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: “How soon 'not now' becomes 'never'!”~ Martin Luther