So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. 1 Timothy 5:14
Another important part of this verse to remember is 'to give the enemy no opportunity for slander'. We must always watch ourselves. The Bible says in Matthew 26:41 "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak." We must always watch our actions and pray for God's strength. If you know doing a certain thing or going to a certain place will bring temptation, why do that thing or go to that place? That's just asking for trouble.
There will always be temptations, and they always lead to death. "When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Don't be deceived, my dear brothers." James 1:13-16. Don't be deceived! Satan knows every evil desire in you and will use it against you!
So what do we do? Luke 6:45 says, "The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks." We store up good in our hearts. We think about things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8). We set our "minds on things above, not on earthly things" (Colossians 3:2). And we put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:13-17): the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, with our feet fitted with the readiness of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
That is how we will give the enemy no opportunity for slander: with God's armor, not our own.
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