• More than fifty percent of the marriages in this country reportedly end in divorce.⁴ Could thinking twice have helped some of those women avoid the pain of such a division—or led them to avoid a painful marriage to begin with?
  
• Countless children are vulnerable because someone hasn’t thought twice about the danger of an overly interested neighbor, relative, or teacher. What devastating consequences could be headed off by someone asking, “What’s going on?” or “Is this an appropriate interaction?”
  
• Many friendships have ended in disappointment because too much was shared too soon. A second thought before “telling all” would have spared some women the hurt of realizing that certain things should be kept private.
  
• The Internet has made it all too easy to strike up inappropriate relationships with the opposite sex, and women quickly find themselves snared by the tentacles of an emotional affair—and sometimes more. Consider the heartache that could be avoided by thinking twice about the potentially disastrous effects of cyberflirting.

It’s never too late to turn around your thinking. But keep in mind that, like a rusty bolt, the longer you stay locked in position, the greater the effort required to slide toward healthier choices and the positive consequences they bring. The second look can give you a clearer perspective of how things are rather than how you wish they were. Even if you don’t like what you see, looking again gives you an opportunity to make a good choice.

For example, when their teenagers started down a road to rebellion, many a parent has been grateful that they had the common sense to see it for what it was rather than choosing to look the other way and hope the behavior would go away.

Taking that second look every time, whether you think you need to or not, is a healthy way to get your thinking going in the right direction. Consider that initial guilt you sometimes feel when you decline to sign up for a volunteer project because your heart isn’t in it. Thinking twice about the situation might give you the insight to remember the truth that “it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13 NASB). God gave you your desires and abilities, so anytime you feel a gnawing doubt about a situation, give it that second look. God may be speaking to you about a better choice for your time and attention.

Tune In to the Lessons All Around You

The process of shifting our perspective and thinking twice about consequences is not accomplished in a vacuum. One of the ways we “tune [our] ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding” (Prov. 2:2) is by being alert to what’s happening with the people around us. Smart Girls intentionally seek out people who clearly are making good choices. The Scripture says, “Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces” (Prov. 13:20 MSG). That advice is about as plain as it gets.