Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Sensible Defined

Now we come to Titus 2:5, where different translations of the text really start to be diverse. The translation that I chose to use at the top of my page is the Holman Christian Standard Bible. We really enjoy reading from this particular text because it is literal, but very modern and easy to read. When my husband first read from the HCSB, he read the book of John and said it was like reading the Bible for the first time. It is incredibly clear. Reading the English Standard Version's translation of Titus 2:3-5 was the first time I really felt it reach my heart. Any way you cut it, the text is good! Anyway here's a rundown of words used at the beginning of verse 5 from different translations:
  • KJV: to be discreet
  • NKJV: to be discreet
  • ESV: to be self-controlled
  • NIV: to be self-controlled
  • HCSB: to be sensible

I believe being sensible involves being discreet and self-controlled. If a woman's not discreet or self-controlled, she's not sensible. I thought I'd seek to find what defines sensible. Here's what I found according to dictionary.com:

Sensible is an adjective meaning: 1)having, using, or showing good sense or sound judgment; 2) cognizant; keenly aware. There's more meanings, but they don't really apply, such as "significant in quantity," etc. Sensible's synonyms are: intelligent, discerning, attentive, cognizant, conscious, judicious, and practical. Antonym: stupid.

That's a lot to cover, and I haven't even asked my husband what the Greek text says! I've got a lot of studying to do on this for the rest of my life!

When I think of sensibility, I think of what it's not. I imagine a woman going crazy when she's got PMS or is going through menopause or when she's pregnant. Our hormones do weird things and make us do and say even weirder things. Whoops. Wrong. Make us? That's a little like saying "The devil made me do it." We're so good at playing the blame game. We can CHOOSE to overcome whatever emotions we're feeling. I can CHOOSE to be sensible even when I'm not feeling it. Have you ever heard someone say "stop listening to yourself and start talking to yourself"? I think I first learned of this idea in the book The Cross-Centered Life, but I could be mistaken. Stop listening to the negative things that run through your mind, and start telling yourself the truth of God's word.

"Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable - if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise - dwell on these things." - Philippians 4:8

Focusing my mind on these things is bound to make a difference in what I say and do, how sensibly I will live my life.

See you tomorrow for Wednesday's Woman!

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