This verse is the beginning of a long climatic poem (:6-27) which father tells his son (:1). It was probably not a literal observation Solomon was sharing, but a wise saying to impart insight. Maybe it was even a well-known proverb of the day that Solomon was just passing along to his boy.
He tells the story of a young man who gets mixed up with the wrong lady and finds himself in a real mess. It’s about bad choices, deception and the price we pay for both.
Either way, this story is a good reminder that what we do is seen by someone – good or bad. Sometimes we get weary in well-doing and think no one even notices what we do. This passage suggests somebody is watching – so keep it up!
But, on the other side, sometimes we do things seemingly in secret, yet somehow it gets known by others. I suppose it’s sort of like those speed and red light cameras out there on the roads catching us when we think no one else sees.
So it’s probably good to just appreciate all this as part of my accountability network to help me stay the course and just keep doing the next right thing. But, in the end, may we never forget it is God who always sees what we do!
And, ultimately, the best way for me to do right things is to start thinking right. If I really want to change my actions, the best way to get started is to first change my attitudes!