Do You Smell Like Smoke?

October 30, 2020

DAILY PROVERBS:

Proverbs 26:23-28 Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross. He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him; When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart. Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation. Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him. A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.

OUTLOOK ON THE IN BOOK:

     How many of you are campers? You just love to get out there, set up a tent, or drags your RV or trailer out and go camping. I will have to admit that my idea of roughing it is being booked into the sixth floor of a motel and finding out that the elevator has quit working. The great outdoorsman I am not.

     I do love to sit by a campfire and visit others though. I have one problem. Whenever I get near enough to the fire to melt chocolate and marshmallows together on a gram cracker, no matter how hard I try to find which way the wind is blowing, I always seem to attract the smoke from the fire. If I move, it follows me. My eyes burn and water, and I cannot see a thing. What started out sounding like fun ends up more like torture.

     Our verses today give several comparisons of what it is like to be around a person who is deceitful. Verse 23 says, “Like a potsherd covered with silver dross.” A potsherd is cheap clay or earthen vessel. The silver dross is the scum that forms on the surface of the molten metal pot. It may appear silver, but it is as phony and worthless as the pot it covers. Verse 25 says, “When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.” Simply stated, there are more lies where that one came from. However, as I come to verse 27 it reminded me of the smoke that follow you at a campfire when it said, “he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.” Just like the smoke that follows you, burns your eyes, and causes discomfort, so is a friendship with a dishonest person. They are just not a joy to be around. You can never be sure of anything they say. Most others know of their lying ways and do not want to be around them either. It is just like that smoke; you just do not want to be there.

         
THE WORD WALKING IN ME:

     Friendships are important. However, a bad friendship can do more harm than good. It becomes like the stone rolling back to crush us, or the smoke that follows us around. Pray for them, love them, witness to them, but do not hang around them. If you hang around the fire too long, soon you smell like smoke.

GOD TALKING TO ME:  October 30, 2020

THROUGH THE BIBLE WITH DAILY PROVERBS
  John 6 – 7    / Proverbs 26:23-28

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
  Jeremiah 26-29          /   Titus 1

Living In His Word Ministries