“Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth” (20).

That verse connected with me this morning because of last evening.

I was down.

I know part of it had to do with being sick with the flu several days and still feeling sick and run down. So I was more prone to dreary thoughts. And I got to thinking about the collapse of my calling or “ministry” or whatever. And about the trashing of my good name and standing. That led to struggling again with the talk that helped bring about said collapse and said trashing.

So I read that verse this morning. “Yeah, I know about talebearers!”

But eventually in my reading I got to this verse:

“Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him” (27).

“They’ll get their payback!” Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!

Then my thoughts took a more noble turn….

“What if I’m still in the trap set for me when the one who set it falls in beside me — what will I say and do? I guess I’ll be there for him in his time of need. Maybe I can encourage him. Maybe I can even help him out of the pit.”

Oh my!

from Proverbs 26:20

A little bit more from Proverbs 26: Don’t Let It Get You Down