Proverbs 4

Do not enter the path of the wicked And do not proceed in the way of evil men.
Proverbs 4:14 NASB

Why would we need to be admonished not to proceed in an evil way? Most people are inherently good, right? Have you ever been in a roomful of women?! Gossip, meanness, false flattery, you name it. And, then there’s the Christian stand-by, “Y’all we need to pray for so-and-so. She and her husband are having a really rough time. I’m not gossiping. Just asking for prayers for them. Bless their hearts.” While we may often legitimately ask for prayers, as Christian women, we often choose to follow the path of the wicked (who was not truly asking for prayers; she just wanted us all to know she knows something that we didn’t), but we join in then by asking nosy questions, speculating as to the cause, or even adding what we heard at church about them.

Ladies, we must make a choice in each interaction with any human to honor God with our words and behavior. None of us is immune to following the crowd, so let’s make sure we lead – and follow – only with love, grace, and mercy.