"I Didn't' See That Coming!"

“Who ever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling.” Proverbs 26:27

This verse begs a question. Who would dig a pit and then forget where he dug it and fall into it? Who would start a stone rolling and not have the sense to get out of the road when it starts rolling back on him? I wouldn’t say this person is the sharpest knife in the drawer. Sounds like a person who is maybe a couple fries short of a “Happy Meal” or possibly someone who could hide his own Easter Eggs.

However Proverbs 26:27 is not a verse teaching us about the perils of losing our short term memory.

The context of the surrounding verses suggest that this pit is being dug for someone else to fall into. The stone that has been sent rolling is supposed to roll onto one who is hated. If we look at the verses adjacent to this one it would seem that the instrument being used as a shovel is the tongue. The power behind the rolling stone is the tongue. The tongue makes a great shovel. Have you noticed that some people have some really big shovels?

How does the tongue dig a pit? Let met list a few from verses 20-28
Whispering vs 20, 22
Quarrelsomeness vs 21
Passionate lips vs 23
Disguised hatred vs 24, 26
Gracious speech hiding seven abominations in the heart vs 25
Through Lying and flattering vs 28

The tongues is being used to hide and disguise hatred. Being used to set someone up so they can be hurt. A hate filled heart is using the tongues as a disguise. The kinds words, gracious words, passionate words are being used to deceive, to ward off suspicion so the unsuspecting person will fall headlong into the pit he has been set up for. But it doesn’t work. Why?

I think verse 27 reminds us of some important principles regarding sin.

Sin deceives.
Sin always destroys those who embrace it.
Sin blinds - that’s why the person falls into his own pit - he’s been blinded by his sin.
Sin controls us we do not control it. We become sin’s slave. John 8:34
Sin carries with it the law of sowing and reaping. Galatians 6:7
Sin always sets in motion the law of unintended consequences vs 27 illustrates that powerfully. He never dreamed when he dug the pit he would fall into it.
Our Sin will find us out. Vs 26 “his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly”. Your Sin will hunt you down.
Sin forgets there is a God in heaven who rules and reigns. See’s the evil and the good.

Much more could be said. But if you want a classic example of vs 27 being played out in real life read the book of Esther chapters 5-6 and pay special attention to a man named Haman.

Esther 5:14 “...and he (Haman) had the gallows made”
Esther 7:10 “...So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai….”

Here are some wonderful verses to end with

“Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.” (Romans 6:16-18 ESV)

Jesus Christ died for our sins on the cross. In him we have redemption , forgiveness and freedom from the power, penalty and one day the very presence of sin. We can have this precious gift by grace alone through faith alone, in Christ alone. Ephesians 2:8-10

Sin is not to be toyed with. May we avoid it, resist it and walk in the Spirit in victory each day.