Proverbs 27.20
“Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied, and never satisfied are the eyes of man.”
The “eyes of man” is a figure of speech for our desires and passions. Unfortunately, people have a difficult time managing their desires. They tend to be greedy. Nothing seems to satisfy them. They always want more.
Desire itself is not a bad thing. The Lord created us to have emotions, desires, and passions. The problem is desire without discipline. The challenge is misdirected passion. Remember what it says in Proverbs 19.2: “Desire without knowledge is not good, and whoever makes haste with his feet misses his way.”
Desire without discipline is dangerous. It’s an unguided missile. Everyone has passion, but not everyone has the discipline to properly focus and manage their passion. This is the great challenge of humanity.
The apostle Peter also wrote about this. “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul” (1 Peter 2:11). The word here for “passion” is epithumia, which can also be translated “desire.” It is sometimes translated “lust.”
Again, everyone has passion. The question is, what is the object of your passion? What do your passions want? A desire is neutral until it is attached to something. A desire to serve and support people is good. A desire to lie and steal from people is bad. The desires of our new nature are good. The desires of our old, sinful nature are not good.
Peter also spoke to this in his first epistle: “Do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance.” The apostle is warning against the desires of our old, sinful nature. This is misdirected passion. This is the unguided missile that Proverbs 19.2 speaks about. This is desire without knowledge.
In Ephesians 4.22, the apostle Paul calls them “deceitful desires.” The passions and desires of the old nature lie to you. They promise fulfillment they cannot deliver. They first seek to deceive, then seek to destroy.
Pay careful attention to your desires and passions. What is the object of your desires? Toward what are your desires directed? What do your desires want you to do?
“Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.” (Proverbs 4.23)
