Proverbs 26
Have you ever had the experience of someone telling you something you don’t want to hear? When the doctor tells me to eat more fresh food and not as much chocolate ice cream, I don’t like it! When I get assigned the task at work that is my least favorite job to do, I don’t like it! When the kids ask me what’s for dinner and I remember I’m the mom and have to cook dinner. Basically anytime someone tells me something that is not in line with what I want or think I need, I’m going to count that experience as dissatisfactory.
Proverbs 26 is a chapter filled with some of those messages that we need to hear, but are tough to hear!
“Like the useless legs of one who is lame is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. Like tying a stone in a sling is the giving of honor to a fool. Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. Like an archer who wounds at random is one who hires a fool or any passer-by. As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly. Do you see a person wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for them.”
Proverbs 26:7-12 NIV
Solomon starts in verse 7 with some colorful illustrations to describe foolish people. He is basically describing to us that a foolish person is not capable of receiving or retaining wise counsel, honor, or doing any praiseworthy activity. In verse 11 we see the grossest comment of the chapter, around a dog returning to its vomit. While it’s certainly cringeworthy, I find it sadly relatable. I will speak for me here, and maybe you will find this applies to you too. This is speaking to the repulsiveness of my sinful nature that I should flee from my sin and never return to it. However, instead just like the dog I keep going back to my sinful nature – I get jealous of a friend, I tell a lie, I snap at my kids, I’m unloving to my husband. And just like you cringe thinking about the dog, we cringe thinking of our sinful nature.
In the end of Proverbs 26, Solomon continues with his stern warnings, the spoonful of medicine with no sugar to soften the blow.
“Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down. As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife. The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts. Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware are fervent lips with an evil heart. Enemies disguise themselves with their lips, but in their hearts they harbor deceit. Though their speech is charming, do not believe them, for seven abominations fill their hearts. Their malice may be concealed by deception, but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. Whoever digs a pit will fall into it; if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them. A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin.”
Proverbs 26:20-28 NIV
And this starts hitting real deep for me, calling me out on gossip. Verse 20 tells us what feeds a friendship feud is gossip. Not only does gossip hurt God’s heart, but it’s literally the fuel that is suffocating your friendships. Why do we gossip then?
Do you like reality tv? I love it, it’s my guilty pleasure. But one thing I notice is so many reality tv shows have a storyline literally fueled by gossip. They have these “confessionals” aka the opportunity to spill their gossip on another participant in the show. And I’m sure Solomon couldn’t even fathom the future of reality tv or the friendship webs we might find ourselves in, but he gives us the reason why we gossip, “the words of a gossip are like choice morsels, they go down to the inmost parts”. It’s that tantalizing excitement of hearing the latest “tea” from a friend. But that tea that gives a momentary high is hurting God’s heart with my sin and that momentary high fades quickly and leaves us unsatisfied and unfulfilled.
Things are feeling pretty rough right now, I have been called out, and I’m in that place where I’m being given a message I don’t want to hear. But it’s one I need to hear. Solomon may be saying that our human nature has called us to sin, but I know the promise: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21 NIV
This sin does not define you, there is freedom and hope in Jesus, leave behind your sinful nature, do not let it overcome you. Cling to the hope that is Jesus!
Prayer:
Dear God, I pray today for the women reading this, if you have found yourself in a place of being the dog returning to its vomit, that you keep falling back into that trap of sin, know that there is hope in Jesus, to truly overcome that sin and find freedom. God, I pray that you see these women to walk boldly in you and find the peace and freedom that comes from walking with you and seeking to walk and talk in a way that honors you!