What is the meaning of Proverbs 26:22? The words of a gossip “Gossip” is more than casual chatter; it is speech that discloses or distorts private matters and injures reputations. Scripture puts it in the company of serious sins (Romans 1:29; 2 Corinthians 12:20). Proverbs repeatedly warns that “a gossip betrays confidence” (Proverbs 11:13) and “he who reveals secrets is untrustworthy” (Proverbs 20:19). James compares the tongue to a spark that can set an entire forest ablaze (James 3:5-6), spotlighting the destructive potential tucked inside seemingly small words. are like choice morsels Solomon paints gossip as a delicacy—something that seems too tasty to resist. • “Choice morsels” suggest food rich in flavor, attractive to the senses (cf. Proverbs 23:1-3, where delicacies are called deceitful). • Sin often carries an immediate appeal (Hebrews 11:25 speaks of the “fleeting pleasure of sin”), yet what promises delight ends up poisoning. • Proverbs 18:8 repeats the same image word for word, underscoring that this is no trivial matter; the Spirit saw fit to double-underline the danger. that go down Gossip does not stay on the surface. Like food swallowed, it travels inward. • It slips past mental defenses because it feels harmless—“just words.” • Proverbs 12:18 points out that reckless words “pierce like a sword,” and Proverbs 26:28 says a lying tongue “crushes the spirit.” • Paul warns Timothy that “irreverent chatter…will spread like gangrene” (2 Timothy 2:16-17). Left unchecked, it infiltrates relationships, churches, and entire communities. into the inmost being The final destination is the heart—the control center of life (Proverbs 4:23). • What enters the heart shapes attitudes, decisions, and eventually behavior (Matthew 15:18-19). • Gossip feeds suspicion, pride, and judgment, crowding out love (1 Peter 4:8) and unity (Ephesians 4:3). • David compared vicious words to “arrows” shot in secret (Psalm 64:3-4); once lodged inside, they are hard to remove. summary Proverbs 26:22 exposes gossip as spiritually gourmet poison—appealing in the moment, yet lethal once it sinks into the heart. Because Scripture is both accurate and authoritative, we take the warning at face value: refuse to listen, refuse to share, and guard our inmost being by filling it instead with words that build up, heal, and honor Christ. |
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