The first 9 verses of Proverbs 31 are the words of King Lemuel of whom we know very little. In reality, they are the words of wisdom taught to him by his mother. They consist of two prohibitions and one recommendation. The recommendation is on the necessity of the King becoming a mouthpiece and defender for the poor and voiceless. One of the prohibitions is that the ruler should avoid intoxicating drinks, and the other one is avoiding illicit sexual activities. On the latter, Lemuel’s mother claims that it has potential to destroy kings.

The cost of immorality can hardly be captured in words. Before long, you lose your dignity and sense of esteem…Walking in power and authority requires that we walk in purity.

Judah bears witness to the fact that immorality truly destroys people. He slept with Tamar, who had once been the wife of Er and Onan his first two sons respectively. Before the liaison, Tamar negotiated a wage. Judah promised to send her a kid from the flock. She asked for a pledge or a surety in the interim. The pledge is what our text is focused on today. Take a careful look at what Judah left with a “harlot” just for a fling. He gave her his signet, bracelets, and the staff! Being the head of a tribe, those were the symbol of his authority. It is curious that this man literally abdicated his office to have an affair with a woman. He was totally stripped of everything precious to him. Isn’t the Bible correct when it says that by means of a whorish woman a man is reduced to a piece of bread? The cost of immorality can hardly be captured in words. Before long, you lose your dignity and sense of esteem. If what we have seen of Judah is of any general application, then immorality eats deep to the root of our spiritual authority. Walking in power and authority requires that we walk in purity.