Words of Life

^{Provrbs 16:27} Troublemakers create disasters. Their advice destroys like a wildfire.

The word for troublemaker here is: bĕliya`al, meaning a worthless, good for nothing. Wouldn’t life be so much easier if we were able to let the worthless gossip, slander, criticism and judgement of troublemakers fall to the wayside? Solomon tells us here that the worth of a troublemakers words are nothing, yet, we ingest them and make these words more important that life giving, encouraging, words. Why is that?  Why do we do it?  Why do we give so much thought and weight to the nasty that we hear? Why do we ponder it and mull over these worthless words for days, months, years? 

Solomon tells us that these folks create disasters through their lips.  It is promised that their advice will consume like a fire. I must learn how to quiet these voices and not allow them to have any sort of fertile purchase in my heart. I must quench these lifeless words with the love of  His living water.  

Let’s pray:

Lord help us to discern life giving advice and advice that is worthless.  When it is discerned, help us to let it go and  not allow it to take root in our hearts, through offense, hurt, disappointment, anger or jealousy. Help us to filter all interactions through Your Holy Spirit, so that we might enter into conversations with the grace of Living Water.