May 31 - Remove The Wood.

Proverbs 26:20
“Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.”
 
A bonfire is a fun way to spend a summer evening with friends and family. In order to get a fire going there must be wood to sustain it. Without the wood there would be no fire.
 
Solomon used this same principle as a metaphor of wisdom.
 
Proverbs 26:21-22
“As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife. The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.”
 
Strife and contention are as devastating as fire.
They damage and destroy; yet in order for there to be flames there must be wood to burn.
 
James 3:6-8
“And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”
 
A talebearer is one who speaks or whispers lies and gossip.
They fuel the fire of contention and strife.
 
Proverbs 11:13
“A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.”
 
We are the wood of the metaphor of wisdom.
If we allow ourselves to become talebearers, we create and enable strife and contention; which is not wise.
 
Proverbs 20:3
“It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.”
 
Our words should extinguish fires, instead of starting or continuing them.
It is wise to remove our pieces of wood from any fire that begins around us.
 
 
Bible Reading:
1 Kings 9-10  |  2 Corinthians 2  |  Proverbs 31