Summary

The Slippery Slope Word on the Week 23rd May 2026
This week the Men’s Shed was treated to a conducted tour of the Dáil. It came as a thank you for the recent visit of James Lawless, the Minister for Higher Education when we entertained his entourage at the Shed.
The Guide was well versed in the characters that made up the various parliaments and whose portraits graced the walls of the building. The monologue was warm and witty and permitted ample room for comment from his audience.
He narrated the more colourful conduct of powerful men behind closed doors with a number of well-known alliances with female assistances in the history of the place. It reminded me of King David who fell spectacularly when he should of been doing something else.
The Bible uses David’s adultery as a warning and also an illustration of when the Commandment ‘Do not commit adultery’ is broken (Exodus 20 verse 14). How did he get from ‘a Godly King’ to an abusive adulterer?
Like so many the was not doing his duty. Instead of leading his army in battle, he left that to his officer Joab and remained in his palace alone. We are told that one evening David got up from his bed (idle hands make mischief) and went up to the roof of the palace and saw a woman bathing.
She was beautiful and after enquiring who she was, David sent for her. He could have put the thought away and ended his descent into sin right there. He now knew she was married to Uriah, one of his greatest warriors. But when lust grips conscience fades and not even the Commandment prevented David from sending a messenger to bring her to him resulting in the conception of a child.
When David learned of this, he did not reflect on how he got into this mess by painfully enumerating the steps: 1. He was alone. 2. He was avoiding his duty. 3. He saw and his eyes drank it in! 4. He was tempted and he sent messengers to bring her to him.
No doubt David thought he could handle it – and so could you should the occasion arise. This lesson was written down as a warning for us in Scripture.
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. 1Corinthians 10:13.