Rejoicing In The Word For Ladies – Do You Think? (June 2024)

Do you think?! These verses about the strange woman in Proverbs 5 caught my attention this month: “Her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a twoedged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell. Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them.” Her tactical plan is to keep her prey from thinking. By her “moveable ways,” she distracts and surprises and flatters the foolish one so that he does not pause to ponder the disastrous consequences ahead.This reminds me that the evil one is invested in the unthinking Christian. What are some ways we allow ourselves to be “unthinking” rather than pondering the path of life and destination before us?

We can be…

Led by passion (unstable, reactionary)

Led by feelings (emotional, wobbly)

Led by habit (operating on autopilot)

Even salvation requires understanding (thinking). (Psa. 119:34;130) The Lord calls us to think! The first definition of “ponder” in Merriam Webster is to weigh in the mind; appraise. We can accept that the “path of life” in Proverbs 5 is our direction of life, choices, decisions, and the places those calculations will take us. God calls us to lay the moments of our life “on the scale,” as it were. Are they justifiable? Worthwhile? Defensible? Holy? Acceptable? Well, that all depends on the scale. And for the Christian, the scale, is the living, abiding, relevant Word of Life.

There are so many verses illustrating God’s plan and purpose in designing men and women as reasoning, thinking beings:

Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. (Prov. 4:26)

For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. (Rom. 12:3)

The wicked have waited for me to destroy me: but I will consider thy testimonies. (Psa. 119:95)

Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. (Prov. 24:32)

Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways. (Haggai 1:5)

And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord. (2 Chron. 12:14)

For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? (Luke 14:28)

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. (Col. 2:8)

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (Phil. 4:8)

Think, friends! (V.K.S.)