Read: Proverbs 25:28 ESV
A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls. (Proverbs 25:28 ESV)
These past few days, I went to the mall and I set my mind about what I was supposed to buy. I am already expecting to join the vessel any time soon. So, I already set my mind to what I have to buy such as my toiletries, undergarments, etc. When I was already inside the mall, roaming around, I unintentionally went on a shopping spree. I bought things that were not really necessary. I find one of the memes I found recently that said “Tara halina't mamili ng di nating kailangan.” (Come and let’s buy things that we do not need.)
Have you also experienced a situation in your life where you have set your mind into buying something but ended up buying things you do not need, just to satisfy your cravings, your desire? You become an impulsive buyer. Just to satisfy your cravings, buying food and just eat it anyway, though it is not necessary or needed.
Here, King Solomon said in this verse in Proverbs 25:28 that “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.”
Walls during ancient times represents:
1. Strength of the City
The thickness of the wall, the height
2. Security
It gives us freedom from fear. It makes us feel secure. It prevents people from outside to go inside and vice versa.
3. Beauty
The wall represents beauty. What is our walled city? The famous Intramuros. The walled city is really beautiful. The great wall of China is another example.
This wall represents strength, security, and beauty. Now, Solomon is describing here a man without self-control is a city without walls. If we can see the city without the wall, it lost its strength, easy to be attacked. It seems like it would only take shooting an arrow for the city to fall down. It lost its strength because it has no wall.
Sense of insecurity
We feel insecure, we feel in danger if there is no guard and wall that surrounds the city.
It also shows imperfection. Don’t you find it odd/ugly? Back then a city without walls is considered imperfect. King Solomon is comparing a man without self-control to cities without a wall. Just like walls being equated to self-control, self-control equates to strength. It gives you strength. It gives us strength. Our capacity to say no to sin, your capacity to control your anger, your capacity to control your unnecessary spending. It represents strength. Self-control represents strength – that we remain strong, your capacity to say no to sin.
Security
We are secured and we are contented. Sometimes, when we are impulsive or in a rush, we tend to kill up our insecurity. Sometimes we abruptly buy shoes or clothing and we feel that gap of insecurity in us being filled up. Sometimes, we get jealous or get envious of others.
Beauty
People with self-control tend to be patient, kind, and not easy to become angry. We find beauty in that person who is patient, kind, not easily angered, has self-control in himself. Sometimes we would ask, “Is she beautiful?” But the answer would be, “She’s kind.” Or “She’s Patient.” Here, we can see that self-control is beauty.
Having said that, let us reflect on ourselves. “Am I a man with self-control?” “Or am I a man without self-control?” Let us reflect on that, on ourselves. “Does my speech needs self-control?” “Does my finances need self-control?” “Does my emotions need self-control?” “Do my eyes and thoughts need self-control?” “Does my respond to desires need self-control?”
We know that self-control is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, right? It is one of the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). So as children of God and as Holy Spirit lives in us, we are no longer slaves of sins, we are no longer under the dominion of sin. And now we can be empowered that we can have self-control in our lives.
for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. (2 Timothy 1:7)
Right now, God is telling us right now that God has given us Spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. So there is a power in us that God gave, Himself, that is self-control. So it’s not just our discipline but also we need to pray to God to empower us to control in our finances, in our emotions, in our eyes and thoughts, in our response to desires.
“A man with self-control lives a life of victory.”
I pray that all of us may be empowered by the Holy Spirit to live a victorious life with having self-control. We can only achieve it through God who gives us the Spirit of power and love and self-control. A man with self-control lives a life of victory.
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