So she [the foolish woman] sits at the door of her house, on a seat in the heights of the city . . . Proverbs 9:14, TLV
“Front-Stoop” Temptations. If you grew up or lived in the city, the “front stoop” or porch was where folks chatted — or gossiped — and caught up with one another. Sitting on the porch or steps watching the kids play is a big slice of Americana.
Today’s proverb reminds me of the seedier side to this culture. Because we all know, nearly anything good, evil will try to corrupt.
When my hubby was in the Navy, we lived in enlisted military housing. Built during World War II, the cinder-block townhouses had a small front stoop where wives would sit and watch their children play in the grassy common area.
I got to know a lot of the women by walking by and chatting a few minutes every day. It took a while for me to figure out who were the wise women and who were the foolish ones.
The wise, productive women spent a limited time on the stoop. And by dinner time, they collected their chair, glass of iced tea, and their children so that they could prepare their meals.
The wives who stuck around most of the day generally were the
gossipers and troublemakers. They loved drawing other naive wives into their web — like me.
I hate to admit it, but there were many nights Bob would come home hungry and find me getting my ear bent by one of those gossipers.
Front-Stoop Temptations
Those front-stoop temptations always begin innocently enough. The naive are easily fooled into wasting time and listening to toxic information that takes time to cleanse from our souls. Continued exposure eventually leads to entering their homes — their domains — where we become even more entangled.
Whether a real front stoop, across a fence, on the phone, or computer, there are ample opportunities to listen to or follow the “foolish woman.”
Are there activities that are eating up our time? This is generally how it begins. Someone or something that takes time from our families and responsibilities.
The second sign is how that time is spent. If it is unproductive or negative — like gossip — step away.
Does the time cost us — money or emotions — most likely the cost is even greater than what we think.
Avoiding the problem is so much simpler than untangling ourselves from it. Still, now is always the best time to change. Stay on wisdom’s path and walk right by the front-stoop tempters.
Think More About It
Do you have any front-stoop tempters? How do/did you overcome them?
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