Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, honor is not fitting for a fool... Like cutting off one's feet or drinking violence is the sending of a message by the hand of a fool (Proverbs 26:1,6).

What a fascinating contrast to yesterday's meditations on Proverbs 25:13!  I never really noticed the sharp contrast, even though the verses are in adjacent chapters; nevertheless, the contrast is definitely there.  Proverbs 25 talks about the joy, satisfaction, and refreshment of a trustworthy messenger or a faithful friend; Proverbs 26 talks about the pain, frustration, and oxymoronic impropriety of giving too much honor or trust to a foolish messenger or a faithless "friend."  Proverbs 25 gives the evocative imagery of a much-anticipated, much-beloved season of the year, like frosted pumpkins and the first dustings of snow in late October; Proverbs 26 provides imagery of apocalyptic disasters and freak phenomena of nature that result in death and destruction, like a blizzard on the 4th of July or monsoon rains during the dry season when all the crops are supposed to be gathered.  The contrast is undeniable... and highly instructive.

If Proverbs 25 can be translated into the context of a faithful friend, then it seems that Proverbs 26 can by the same token indicate a person who is unfaithful in friendship -- betraying trust and turning against someone at the first hint of trouble.

Just as I've been blessed with a number of faithful friends in my life, unfortunately I've also had people who have demonstrated the unfortunate side of relationships.  They've taken advantage of opportunities to speak badly of me behind my back -- all while never offering even a hint of dissatisfaction to my face.  They've built factions against me.  They've undermined me with their passive-aggressive behavior.  And it's very painful when it all comes out -- very much like "cutting off one's feet" and sweeping my legs out from under me.  It creates tension and suspicion where there should be trust and safety.  It's like drinking violence.

When these painful experiences happen, we eventually figure out ways to heal and move on.  And we are wizened by the pain -- reminding us to be a bit more careful with the extension of our trust, the honor of our friendships.  Relationships necessarily require vulnerability, which will sometimes lead to wounding; however, with a bit of healthy caution and a heavy reliance on those who have consistenly proven themselves to be trustworthy, we can walk strong (with both our feet firmly attached) fulfilled with peace and satisfaction.