Contemplative Bible Reading

Proverbs 26:20 (New International Version)

Without wood a fire goes out;
without gossip a quarrel dies down.

Religious quarrels tend to follow the same pattern:

1. You and I disagree on the meaning of a part of the Bible
2. You and I continue to disagree on the meaning of a part of the Bible
3. “Studying” does not end the disagreement on the meaning of a part of the Bible
4. I resort to talking about you instead of discussing the meaning of a part of the Bible
5. You resort to talking about me instead of discussing the meaning of a part of the Bible
6. Our gossip turns the disagreement into irreconcilable differences
7. Years from now, people who agree with me continue to gossip about you
8. Years from now, people who agree with you continue to gossip about me

Do you find the place in the pattern where either of us focuses energy on loving God and loving people? Of course not – it isn’t there. We are spending all our energy fueling our quarrel.

Satan wins; we both lose.

It is as if Satan wanted this type of thing to happen all along. It is almost as if Satan invented gossip as a tool to fight God through the two of us.