Proverbs 26:20 says, “For lack of wood the fire goes out and where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down.”

My family moved houses about a year ago.  One of the things we loved about the house was that it had a wood-burning fireplace.  We looked forward to sitting by a real fire in the winter.  My sons really enjoyed it.  They liked learning how to start a fire and how to keep the fire burning.  It did prove to be a little harder task than I expected.  It seemed that we would get it burning really well and then it would quickly go out.  One minute we would look in the fireplace and see this really big flame, burning brightly and its warmth filled the living room.  Then, a minute later, we would look back and it was gone.  In order to keep the fire burning, you have to add wood, the right kind of wood and make sure the flame is not extinguished.

Proverbs 26:20 says you have to have pieces of wood to keep the fire going or else it burns out.  The verse then makes a comparison to gossip.  It says, “...where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down.”  The “whisperer” is compared to the wood for the fire.  If there is no wood, the fire goes out...if there is no “whisperer”, the contention goes away.  What is it that keeps strife alive?  What keeps contention still burning and prevents small, petty disagreements from being extinguished?  The Whisperer.

Usually when a person whispers it is either because they don’t want someone else to hear them or because they are talking when they are not supposed to be talking.  And so, to keep from being heard, we whisper.  We speak in quiet tones, secret messages, just loud enough to be heard by those we want to hear.  When it is two parents talking about Christmas gifts for the children, then there is no problem.  However, when we “whisper” about a neighbor, or about a co-worker, or about another student in our class, then we are doing exactly what this verse warns against.

Scripture is saying that normative disagreements, regular contention that arises among people, can be dealt with and then it goes away.  Frustrations from the office and disputes among friends will burn out and be extinguished unless there is a “whisperer” to keep it going...unless there is someone adding wood to the fire to make sure it stays brightly burning. 

Ever known someone who seems to go behind problems and keep throwing wood on the fire?  Have you ever been around “a whisperer”?  Ever known someone who seemed to love keeping things stirred up and refuses to let a conflict die?  Here is a better question...have you been a whisperer?  A better question still...Are you a whisperer today?  Proverbs 16:27 says, “A worthless man digs up evil, while his words are like scorching fire”. 

Let’s not be whisperers.  Let’s not go “digging for evil” and let’s not allow our words to be “like scorching fire”.  One of the things that should separate the people of God is that we fight against temptation and win.  We are all tempted to gossip, we all face being pulled to stir things up and watch the fireworks.  Yet, that is what the world does, not what we should be a part of.  The next time you are tempted to gossip (and we all will be tempted to gossip, probably before the day is even over), let’s remember...don’t be a Whisperer!  Don’t throw wood on the fire and instead, let contention quiet down.  Proverbs 22:10 adds, “drive out the scoffer and contention will go out, even strife and dishonor will cease.”  Our work places, our families, our relationships will be blessed by people refusing to play the role of a whisperer.  May God help us not to be a whisperer and not to be a scoffer.

Michael Staton