Good Morning Garden

He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears (Proverbs 26:17).

If, when those around you are talking negatively about something or someone, you chip in with your contribution, you are taking a strange dog by the ears – so look out! If you get emotionally entangled in what is not your affair, through indignation, self-righteousness, hatred, or otherwise, you have seized the dog again – and he will bite. And even to think negatively concerning such matters in the secret chamber of your own heart, will bring you proportionate and natural punishment.

It is always right to think rightly about any person or situation, and if you do this many opportunities will come to you to help people practically, without any breach of law, and without coming near the dangerous dog.

How many dog bites have we endured because we failed to heed this proverb’s wisdom? This is not to say that we should deny help to those around us. It simply means we should be sure that such strife is actually our business. When we have rightly determined that it is our dog, then we ensure that our actions and motives emanate from love and manifest themselves in right behavior. If our thoughts and actions condemn, judge, hurt or tear down, then we can be assured to be bitten by the strife which we adopted. When our desire is to help, our actions will lift up, heal and nurture the object of our attention. Love is the antidote to strife.

Petting the right dog,

Stan