Stop Throwing Wood On The Fire

• Why do people gossip?

• What happens when you refuse to participate in gossip?

Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down.
Proverbs 26:20

If you have ever sat around a campfire on a cool autumn night, you know how important it is to keep adding wood to the fire. Once you stop adding wood, the fire dies.

This verse from Proverbs teaches us that gossip and arguments have the same relationship as wood and fire. Gossip will feed an argument and keep it burning hot. But if we remove gossip, if we stop gossiping, the argument will die.

When people are caught up in an argument, they will often use whatever weapons they can to defeat their opponent. This includes gossip. People will gossip in an attempt to sway people toward their side of the argument. Some people will gossip in an attempt to keep the argument going because they like the drama. None of this is okay.

The Bible tells us that instead of getting caught up in quarrels, we should look for ways to make peace. When gossip stops, peace follows, because there is nothing left to fuel the fire. As you spend time with your friends and family today, look for ways to make peace by refusing to be a gossip.

PRAYER
Dear God, thank you for your proverbs that give us wisdom and guidance in our lives. Please help us to remember this proverb and to avoid feeding a fire with gossip. Amen.