PROVERBS 26:20-28
IN CRITICAL CONDITION
According to the Associated Press, on a windy day in March [1997] a father and his son came to Valley Forge National Historical Park, where George Washington stationed the revolutionary Army during the difficult winter of 1777-1778. The father and son had something much less historic in mind;: they wanted to launch a model rocket. At first they tried using electric ignition wires to light the fuse, but to no avail. So they tried lighting the fuse with a common sparkler, the kind seen on the Fourth of July.
That's when the trouble began. Sparks ignited a grass fire, and the winds quickly spread the blaze, burning a field where Revolutionary War soldiers had trained, and coming within a half mile of George Washington's headquarters. Thirty units from twelve fire departments fought the blaze for an hour before bringing it under control, and in the end over thirty acres were charred. The man with the sparkler was charged with destruction of government property and use of fireworks.
Like that sparkler, the tongue never seems as dangerous as it really is. So it is with the talebearer or the gossip whose contentious words kindle up strife. These sayings picture the harm done by those who deliberately use their tongues or words to damage the reputations of others (CIT). They spark strife and thus disrupt the peace of the community, fellowship or assembly.
I. THE FIRE OF CONTENTIOUS SPEECH, 20-22.
II. THE MALICE OF DECEITFUL SPEECH, 23-25.
III. THE RESULTS OF DECEITFUL SPEECH, 26-28.
Fire and strife relate verses 20 & 21. Verse 20 promises that a quarrel dies down without talk just like a fire eventually goes out without wood. "For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down."
Kindled fire is an appropriate image for quarrel and strife. When a fire finishes burning through the material it feeds on, it goes out. Similarly, when gossip reaches the ear of someone who will not repeat it, it dies. It that simple. Strife, a quarrel or contention dies down without gossip (11:13; 16:28; 18:8; 20:19; 26:22). Talking about every little irritation or piece of gossip only keeps the fires of anger going. Refusing to discuss them cuts the fuel line and makes the fires die out.
[To extinguish a fire, you must remove one of the essential elements needed for combustion. For example, eliminating what is fueling the blaze is a method often employed in fighting an forest fire. A controlled backfire is started from a cleared line ahead of the advancing flames. When the two fires meet, no timber is left to burn.]
The Bible promises us that for lack of wood "the fire goes out." This refers to extinguishing something much more devastating than the combustion of physical elements. It's the fire of an irresponsible tongue where the resentment and pain that burns in the heart is used to seared others with its heat. What deep and lasting wounds the tongue can inflict on others! Families and friendships have been disrupted and individuals hurt for life because of the effects of backbiting and slander.
When does strife cease (Hebrew sh tag)? When people stop talking. [Just as the storm calmed when the sea men tossed Jonah overboard (1:11–12).] Just like fire can't burn where there is no wood, so strife can't continue where there are no talebearers. When gossip comes to you, refuse to listen. If gossip found no takers, it would just burn out in its place of origin.
How necessary it is for God's people to eliminate from their conversation all incendiary words. This would prevent many of the fires that ruin relationships.
How many fires have swept the land and left an ugly scar!
But of the blazing flames that burn, the tongue's the worst by far. [Sper]
Does someone continually irritate you? Decide not to complain about the person, and see if your irritation dies from lack of fuel. By yielding our tongue to the Lord Jesus, who alone can control it, we can put out the harmful fires of slander and gossip. It's better to bite your tongue, than to have a biting tongue.
Verse 21 reveals that it is the contentious who add fuel to the fire. "Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindle strife."
Removing fuel or talebearing kills a fire or quarrel. Conversely continuing to quarrel contributes to kindle [lit. heat up) strife just as charcoal and wood build up a fire. Charcoal or black coal is used to nourish hot embers and wood is used to sustain a fire and a contentious person's words serve the purpose of kindling up strife. [The word kindle [ tarr] signifies hot and the tense [pilpel] indicates to make hotter.]
A quarrel, contention or strife is to be looked upon as fire. The talebearer or gossip as the incendiary or igniter. His words are to be looked upon as the fuel. The discorder promotes strife as the means to an end. He kindles and maintains the fires of dissension. Where there is peace he creates discord, and where there is discord he heightens its rage. He is not at peace with himself. He takes the irritations that flame in is own heart and wants them to rage in the hearts of others. His determination is to have the last word. Instead of the wise word of solution.
In the spring of 1894, the Baltimore Orioles came to Boston to play the Red Sox in what was expected to be a ROUTINE BASEBALL GAME. But what happened was anything but routine. The Orioles' John McGraw got into a fight with Boston's third baseman. Within minutes all the players from both teams had joined in the brawl.
Soon the conflict spread to the grandstands and quickly went from bad to worse. Someone set fire to the stands and the entire ballpark burned to the ground. The fire then spread to 107 other Boston buildings.
How difficult it is to take back angry words! A raised gun, a clenched fist, and an angry voice all have one thing in common-they are quicker...to raise up than to put down. Because God loves us and knows the awful danger of strife, He pleads with us not to play with it. We may think that a little conflict makes life (including sports) more interesting, but the Lord wants us to think of its devastating consequences. [If there is to be a fire in your inner man, let it be the fire of the Holy Spirit.]
Verse 22 reveals that a gossips words can instill themselves deep into their victim's [or organization's] inner chamber and do irreparable damage. "The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels, and they go down into the innermost parts of the body."
Gossip, like other sins, is like choice morsels (lit. things greedily devoured). We like to hear it and share it with others because it "tastes" good. Gossip (something not everyone else hears) is like eating a delicacy. Therefore like food being digested, gossiped news is assimilated in one's inner most parts (i.e., is retained and remembered). Gossip is eagerly gulped down and when savored the memories live on and on.
Gossip is rooted in our need to feel good about ourselves. As we bring others down, we gain the illusion that we are moving upward.
That's why spreading gossip is so difficult to resist. It takes prayer and God's grace to bring us to the point where we refuse to pass it on or even hear it [even under the guise of personal concern or a request to pray for a sinning friend].
The whispering of innuendos, the malicious hint or nudge, the under the breath slandering comment often kindle the fire of strife where peace had existed previously. As the microscopic sting of a little insect sometimes poisons the blood and inflames the body of a strong man, the mere whisper of a talebearer can kindle discord in the whole community. Softly and subtly their words drop as poison and sink into man's inner system to do their work of destruction.
II. THE MALICE OF DECEITFUL SPEECH, 23-25.
These three Proverbs deal with deceitful speech They seem to naturally follow the previous verses on slander and quarreling. They are united by the contention between the evil inner disposition (within) and the deceitful outer expression (lips and speak falsely).
The illustration in verse 23 uncovers the disguised nature of deceit. "Like an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross are burning lips and a wicked heart."
A coating of glaze or silver dross refers to an attractive coating over a piece of pottery. This is likened to burning [or fervent -d laq, "to burn or kindle"] lips and an evil heart. The allusion here is to the ancient art of "silver plating" earthenware to make clay appear as silver to the eye. A person's inviting divisive speech like the attractive glaze over jar may disguise evil content and motive.[See Luke 11:39 & Matthew 23:27]. The thought is that attention grasping speech can hide an evil disposition, or that one tries to make something out of the ordinary.
Verses 24-26 expands the idea in verse 23. In verse 24 disguised hatred is the evil revealed. "he who hates disguises it with his lips, but he lays up deceit in his heart."
Hatred has an instinct for working behind the scene and putting on disguises. This proverb means that people with hate in their heart may sound pleasant enough; don't believe what they say. A malicious person plans deceit, (sets an ambush) but seeks to disguise it with smooth talk. One must be alert to discern the real character and intent of the speaker (2 Sam. 3:27; 20:9-10; 13:22-28; 1 Sam. 18:17, 21).
Verse 25 warns against being taken in by a malicious person charming words. "When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for there are seven abominations in his heart."
This verse is intended to be taken literally. The warning is against being taken in by a malicious person. A malicious person speech can be charming but his or her heart is crammed full ("seven" speaks of the utmost completeness) filled with seven abominations (6:16-19). [Seven abominations is a figure for a hatred that is just about complete.] The tongue is only the public shop but evil planing is forged deep within if the heart is filled with hatred.
III. RESULTS OF DECEITFUL SPEECH, 26-28.
The final three Proverbs reveal the perils and pitfalls of hypocrisy The first disastrous result for the multiple evils accomplished by the tongue is that it will be reveal to others. Verse 26 promises that those who act in malice will have their intentions revealed to others. "Though his hatred covers itself with guile, his wickedness will be revealed before the assembly."
Though the scoundrel can hide his feelings temporarily through the covering of deceit, in God's time his hatred and scheming will eventually be known. [Walvoord, John & Zuck, Roy. Bible Knowledge Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1983, S. 963.] The type of man he or she is will be made known before the assembly. For duplicity cannot permanently be concealed.
The assembly refers to any group called together for some purpose. It could be when a group is assembled to administer justice. It most certainly will be exposed when each stand before the Lord (Luke 8:17).
To assure that our intent is not crushing hate we should ask ourselves some probing questions. Would we be willing to give the persons talked about a written transcript of our comments? Would doing so affect the content of our conversation? Would it make us think twice before we spoke?
Such an attitude would eliminate a lot of juicy stories and spare many a reputation. People speaking carelessly or passing along distorted facts about others have brought grievous consequences to many believers and churches.
All LIES are sinful, but some are more damaging than others. For example, it's much more harmful to say something untrue about a person than to claim that a fish you caught was huge when it was no more than 8 inches long. Perhaps the worst kind of lie is the one that is intended to destroy the character of another. It can even take the form of "telling the truth," but doing so in a way that suggests something false.
I read about two men who worked on a large ocean going vessel. One day the mate, who normally did not drink, became intoxicated. The captain, who hated him, entered in the daily log: "Mate drunk today." He knew this was his first offense, but he wanted to get him fired. The mate was aware of his evil intent and begged him to change the record. The captain, however, replied, "It's a fact, and into the log it goes!" A few days later the mate was keeping the log and concluded it with: "Captain sober today." Realizing the implications of this statement, the captain asked that it be removed. In reply the mate said, "It's a fact, and in the log it stays!"
If you really want to hurt somebody, you can repeat something he said and distort the meaning. In fact, you can be entirely accurate but imply a falsehood.
All of us should heed the solemn warning contained in our text: although a person's hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be revealed. This is a good reason not to tell a "truthful" lie.
Destruction by one's own devices is the subject of verse 27. "He who digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone, it will come back on him."
He who digs a pit to trap someone else will himself go down. Likewise, the stone he intended to cast at another will find its target in him. One who attempts to trap or destroy others will eventually find the trap or destruction turned on themselves (Ps. 7:15, 9:15; 35:8; 57:6).
Hate and evil are grievous bosses. They cause one to dig a pit and roll heavy stones. What is even worse is that all their hard work is self-ruinous. Into the pit which they have dug they shall tumble and the stone they rolled to crash down on another with overwhelming momentum shall crush them. Those who plot mischief for others will be over-whelmed with it themselves. Haman's gallows built for Mordecai became the scene of his own execution. The enemies of Daniel were thrown in the lions den they plotted to have him cast into. Many times proverbs affirms that sin boomerangs (1:18f; 28:10).
Verse 28 reveals that flatter used to achieve selfishly deceptive ends results in ruin. "A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth works ruin."
This closing verse in this section could be a summary for those who slander, deceive, and cause strife. A lying tongue is the central source of disruption in the assembly or community. People who lie about another person are actually hateful. Slander is the creation and servant of hatred. A man slanders another because he hates him, and his hatred is intensified by his slander. The law of ill-feelings seems to be this. The more we strike out at someone the more we dislike him or her. In order to justify our injuring we fabricate reasons to justify our dislike, our word and our actions.
People who flatter to achieve their selfishly deceptive ends bring ruin either to themselves, to those they manipulated to be involved in their scheme, or to their victims, and perhaps to all three [Walvoord, & Zuck, p. 963]. But from the context we can say that a lying mouth is the gun that shoots its owner in the leg.
[Flattery will ruin you and your ministry. Whatever your calling might be, whatever part you play in the body of Christ, watch out for flattery. We are to be encouragers, but not flatterers. What's the difference? Encouragement means that, with integrity, I am building you up and acknowledging what the Lord is doing in your life. Flattery, on the other hand, is to cause you to think better of me, regardless of what the truth may actually be.] [Courson, Jon: Jon Courson's Application Commentary : Vol 2. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2006, S. 259]
CONCLUSION
How abominable to the God of Truth is the attempt to deceive. How terrible to a God of love is hatred of one's fellow man. Scripture warns us against deviating from the truth and to speak the truth only when motivated by love.
One of the unique traits of the church is the diversity of its people. This means that Christians will have differences of opinions. And that's okay, it is even to be expected, but they must not lead to hurting, harmful, criticism. When they do, the seeds of discord and dissatisfaction are sown, but all reap the harvest, and most potently those that sowed them.
It is true that each of us have our weaknesses and some people strike at those who have treated them kindly. But that does not give us the license to spread strife and contention and hurt them deeply.
If someone does something that bothers us and we can't overlook it, we must go to that person and lovingly try to resolve the problem. Otherwise negative feelings may create a critical condition in us, which will create a critical condition in the church, which will stir up strife and quarrels. It is better to bite your tongue than let it bite someone else.
We must ask God for the wisdom to know when to speak, what to speak, and when to simply keep our mouths shut. For "in the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise" (Proverbs 10: 19).
It is often wise to be quiet and speak few words. But if we must speak, let's talk of those things that encourage and move others closer to God, not those things that will discourage and hurt them. "The tongue of the wise promotes health" (Proverbs 12:18). When the Lord controls our tongue our words will soothe and heal.
Father, help us never to forget the terrible destructive power of strife. When a desire to lash out at someone wells up within us, help us stop it before it starts a "fire."
Let's do a FIRE PREVENTION drill. When have I spoken or acted in anger? What are the advantages of holding my tongue, stopping my hand, or giving a "soft answer" (Proverbs 15:1)? The best time to stop a fight is before it starts and the best way to stop gossip by ignoring it.
