I’ve been reading with interest (more sadness) over the last week the whole Harvey Weinstein meltdown.
While it is incredibly sad, I think most of us are aware that behind the closed doors of Hollywood – and the corporate world for that matter – women have been lured into many a high-powered producer or executive’s office or bedroom with the promise of a movie part, a new company role, or at worse a raise, in return for sexual favors. That that behavior goes on is probably not a great surprise to anyone.
Having said that, Harvey Weinstein was on a whole new level. He literally harassed the who’s who of Hollywood; very powerful women who, if they were ever to break their silence, would have very loud voices. I’ve been shocked by how profile these women are. How it has taken so long to come out is the real surprise, as it’s hard to keep things secret in our social media age.
I’m a big reader of Proverbs and my goal is to read a chapter a day, and I try and do this month by month. Proverbs is big on wisdom, and as this world is so tricky to navigate, I try and do so with as much wisdom on my side as is humanly possible.
I’m not sure if you’ve noticed but Proverbs devotes many chapters to the seductress. It’s like King Solomon knew men’s greatest weakness is with his eyes (a maybe a few body parts, too…). Now I know Mr Weinstein was the one doing the seducing here, so this article is in no way inferring that any of these women were leading him on.
Proverbs 5;19 specifically says, “Let a man be satisfied with his own wife’s breasts.”
That’s great advice and can keep every married man out of a lot of trouble. But as I read Proverbs yesterday and was specifically reading Chapter 7 about being seduced, this is the first time I have read it in this context:
“For she has cast down many wounded, and all who were slain by her were strong men.” (Proverbs 7:26)
The operative word here is ‘strong’. And by strong I think he is referring to powerful and successful men, not necessarily the gym-junkie who can bench press ridiculous weights. Sometimes powerful and successful men are even more of a target. It’s easy to think you’re slightly above the law when you’re rich, or when you see your name in the media. Harvey Weinstein was a strong – or powerful – man. He was also married to a very beautiful woman, so in reality you’d think he’d be happy to be satisfied with his own wife.
The warning in this, as was written thousands of years ago, is for a man to be very wary of keeping company with other women. Solomon knew men would be tempted with beauty, and it’s why he keeps talking about this very subject.
Men, we need to honor our wives and appreciate the beauty in them. We also need to know that there will always be beautiful women in our midst, but if we are married, then we have one woman only, and she is to be the apple of our eye.
Matt Danswan is the CEO of Initiate Media, publishers of Christian Woman. He also blogs at www.mattdanswan.com.
Image courtesy Wikipedia Commons
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