March 13 - Remove The Wood.

Proverbs 26:20                       
“Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.”
 
Do you have a friend that you trust enough to tell them anything? They are rare, and if you are blessed to have one or a few, be thankful for them today. Maybe you are a friend to someone who feels they can share their stories with you, and not have them be the new topic of the ladies’ prayer meeting. Trustworthiness in a friendship is irreplaceable and needful. Praise the Lord for faithful friends!
 
A talebearer is one who bears tales. The word in the Hebrew means to cause to walk. So we can see that a talebearer causes the tales that they choose to bear to have feet and move about to anyone who is willing to listen.
 
The best motivation to not be a talebearer is to consider someone bearing your tales. You would want your friend to remove the wood from the fire so that it goes out. Following the golden rule then, let’s not add wood to the fires of the tongues of others; but instead, cause the fire and strife to cease by removing the wood.
 
We read in James “the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity”. When we run our mouths about the latest drama or let negativity fill our words, we add fuel to a fire the Lord is not pleased with. Someone must decide to stop the fire of our words. Be that person, be a firefighter.
 
It’s hard to control our tongues sometimes isn’t it? But with the Lord’s help we can achieve it. Ask Him to help you today not only to control your tongue, but also to help remove the wood from the fires of the talebearers around you.
 
Proverbs 11:13
“A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.”
 
Bible Reading:
Numbers 25-26  |  Luke 24  |  Psalm 42