Guard Your Words and Actions

Day Seventy

Guard Your Words and Actions (Read Proverbs 26:13-22)

¹³ The lazy person claims, "There's a lion on the road!
    Yes, I'm sure there's a lion out there!"

¹⁴ As a door swings back and forth on its hinges,
    so the lazy person turns over in bed.

¹⁵ Lazy people take food in their hand
    but don't even lift it to their mouth.

¹⁶ Lazy people consider themselves smarter
    than seven wise counselors.

¹⁷ Interfering in someone else's argument
    is as foolish as yanking a dog's ears.

¹⁸ Just as damaging
    as a madman shooting a deadly weapon
¹⁹ is someone who lies to a friend
    and then says, "I was only joking."

²⁰ Fire goes out without wood,
    and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.

 Reflection:

This passage from Proverbs vividly portrays the foolishness of laziness, the danger of careless words, and the wisdom of avoiding unnecessary conflict. It's a stark reminder that our actions, or lack thereof, and our words have profound consequences.

The lazy person makes excuses to avoid work and obedience to spiritual principles, claiming dangers that don't exist, like a lion in the streets. How often do we allow selfishness, fear, doubt, or mere convenience to keep us from fulfilling our God-given responsibilities? Laziness isn't just about lying in bed all day; it's about the excuses we make to justify inaction in areas where God calls us to step up. Get off your rump and start applying Nike's tagline to your life, "Just Do It!"

"When I look back on my past and think how much time I wasted on nothing, how much time has been lost in futilities, errors, laziness, incapacity to live; how little I appreciated it, how many times I sinned against my heart and soul-then my heart bleeds. Life is a gift; life is happiness; every minute can be an eternity of happiness." ~ Fyodor Dostoevsky

The passage also warns about the dangers of meddling in others' conflicts. It compares such interference to yanking a dog's ears—a surefire way to get hurt.

Do you remember the classic line in the movie "The Pink Panther Strikes Again?

• Clouseau: Does your dog bite?
• Alpenros Hotel Clerk: No.
• Clouseau: [bowing down to pet the dog] Nice doggie.
• [Dog barks and bites Clouseau in the hand]
• Clouseau: I thought you said your dog did not bite!
• Alpenros Hotel Clerk: That is not my dog.

In our relationships, how often do we involve ourselves in situations where we don't belong, causing more harm than good? Knowing when to step back and allow others to resolve their issues without our meddling is wise. Practicing a spiritual principle we learned as children is wise: "Mind your own business."

"A person is likely to mind their own business when it is worth minding. When it is not, they take their mind off their own meaningless affairs by minding other people's business." ~ Eric Hoffer

Furthermore, the proverb highlights the destructive power of lies and gossip. Just as a madman with a deadly weapon causes harm without thought, so do our careless words when we lie or spread gossip. Gossip is like adding wood to a fire—it fuels the flames of conflict. When we refuse to engage in gossip, we extinguish the fire of quarrels. God calls us to be peacemakers, not fire-starters.

"Every one of us knows how painful it is to be called malicious names, to have their character undermined by false insinuations, to be overreached in a bargain, to be neglected by those who rise in life, to be thrust on one side by those who have stronger wills and stouter hearts. Everyone also knows the pleasure of receiving a kind look, a warm greeting, a hand held out to help in distress, a difficulty solved, a higher hope revealed for this world or the next. By that pain and by that pleasure, let us judge what we should do to others." ~ Arthur Penrhyn Stanley

Reflection Questions:

Take a moment to reflect on your life.

• Are there areas where you've been making excuses instead of stepping into what God has called you to do?
• Are there conflicts you've meddled in that you must step away from?
• And what about your words—are they building others up, or are they adding fuel to the fires of conflict?

Prayer:                                                                                                                                           

Lord, help me be diligent and faithful in the tasks You've given me. Remove any laziness or fear that keeps me from stepping into Your will. Give me wisdom in my relationships, knowing when to speak and when to stay silent. Guard my tongue so that my words will bring peace, not conflict. May my actions and words reflect Your love and truth. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Challenge for the Day:

Ask God to give you the wisdom and strength to act according to His will, refrain from meddling where you shouldn't, and guard your words carefully. Let's commit to living Jesus-centered lives by being diligent in our responsibilities, wise in our relationships, and cautious with our words, living in a way that honors God and promotes peace.

May God bless your hearing, understanding, and application of today's wisdom.