Read: Proverbs 26

Verse: 20 (NLT)

"Fire goes out without wood, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops."

I must have a great "like" for the number 20 because that's the verse I chose out of today's chapter, as well as yesterday's post. "Twenty is twice ten and can, at times, mean a complete or perfect waiting period." Ah...but I digress.  Let's get back to the Scripture.  

Today's proverb talks a lot about fools. What is a fool? It is a person who lacks judgment or sense. I think the verses early in the chapter go hand in hand with verse 20, the "key" verse for today. A fool will keep the fire of a quarrel going by adding fuel, or gossip to the mix. According to Wikipedia "In many areas, wood is the most easily available form of fuel, requiring no tools in the case of picking up dead wood." I think that's how gossip spreads as well...it's easy to repeat things, even if we don't know if they are true or not.  

Let's take the wood or fuel away from our minds, so we can be peace-makers instead of fueling quarrels and dissension. Remember Philippians 4:8 "And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts (and speak) on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think (and speak)  about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." (NLT-added parentheses are mine)

Connect with the rest of my write 31 days series.