Is It Worth It?

There’s something about temptation that always feels worth it in the moment. It’s alluring, convincing, and easy to justify. But Proverbs 9:13–18 pulls back the curtain to show us what’s really behind the voice that calls us away from God’s wisdom.

The passage introduces us to a woman named Folly. She’s loud, confident, and persuasive—but she’s also deceitful. Verse 13 says she “knows nothing,” yet she acts as though she knows everything. Isn’t that how temptation works? It speaks with confidence, promising satisfaction, control, or comfort—but in the end, it delivers regret, shame, and loss.

Verse 14 tells us that Folly “sits at the door of her house, on a seat in the highest places of the city.” She’s not hiding. She’s right in plain sight, calling out to everyone who passes by. The world doesn’t whisper sin—it advertises it. What’s dangerous is that her voice sounds familiar. It mimics the call of Wisdom written earlier in the chapter (Proverbs 9:1–6). Both invite us to come and eat—but only one offers life.

Then in verses 16–17, Folly’s words echo through the noise: “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here.” And to the one who lacks understanding, she says, “Stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.” Sin always dresses itself up as something special—something you “deserve,” something you can “get away with.” It never tells you the cost upfront. It always leaves out verse 18.

And verse 18 tells the truth: “But he does not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.” That’s the moment when the question hits hardest—Was it worth it? Was the pleasure worth the distance from God? Was the secret worth the shame?

Temptation rarely feels dangerous. It feels normal. Comfortable. Even harmless. But Proverbs 9 reminds us that not every open door leads to blessing, and not every invitation deserves a “yes.”

The next time you feel that familiar tug at your heart—that quiet thought saying, “Just this once…”—pause and ask yourself: Is it worth it?

Because wisdom whispers a better invitation: to walk in truth, to stay close to Jesus, and to trust that whatever we give up for Him is never really lost.