WITHOUT MEANING
Proverbs 26:20-21
In our passage for today, Solomon said that fires burn where there is wood, and strife “burns” Wherever a talebearer is present. Slanderers – abusers of this world – love to “kindle strife”. They love to pit one person against another. They misuse their tongues to do evil.
Such people often do it just to relieve boredom, or feel powerful. They seldom have any insight as to the reason for their actions, and they usually don’t care to know. Because of this, they put men through the fires that they create with their tongues.
As Christians, our tongues should serve a single purpose: to glorify God. One way to do this is to speak words of love and blessing to people who create conflict. It is the one thing we can do to protect ourselves from being like them.
Life seems meaningless at times when you find out people you thought were your friends “bad-mouth” you and exaggerate or lie about you. It can be devastating. A bullet can kill a body but a tongue can kill a reputation.
Solomon said a good reputation is to be chosen rather than great wealth. Your reputation is important to you, and it should be. God’s reputation is important to Him, too.
Meditation:
“… The tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts… a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire and is itself set on fire by hell.” (James 3:5-6)
Prayer:
Lord, help me to guard my tongue and protect myself from the tongues of people who wish to hurt me.
