Proverbs 13:17

Proverbs 13:17 "A wicked messenger falleth into mischief: but a faithful ambassador is health."

What Solomon speaks of in this proverb is easily lost in the present day and age because of the evolution of communication.  While we still use messengers today, we use them at a substantially less rate than in Solomon's day.  Today, we rely on mobile carriers like Verizon, Spectrum, T-Mobile and AT&T rather than on men, women, boys and girls to deliver messages for us.  In our modern world, if we want to get a message to someone, we just call, text or email them.  In Solomon's world, as in the majority of human history, a message required the assistance of and the reliance on messengers.  Human carriers were as important in history as mobile carriers are in the present.  

The royal author of this proverb is giving advice as to what type of carrier to hire or use.  He is warning against a particular type of carrier while recommending a very specific carrier just as someone today would recommend Verizon over T-Mobile for example.  As a king with very serious responsibilities, he understood the importance of reliable service in this area.  Wars could be started or prevented based on the reliability of a carrier.  Enemies could be avoided or created based on the quality of the messenger.  Relationships could be destroyed or preserved based on the precision of the messenger.  In Solomon's day, just as in our day, the carrier possessed tremendous power.  Just as in our world with unreliable mobile carriers, an unreliable human carrier in Solomon's world could interrupt critical communication and as a result, create chaos for the one trying to send a message.  Just as in our world with inconsistent mobile carriers, an inconsistent or corrupt messenger in Solomon's world could cause marital tension, community confusion or military mayhem.
 
Because the messenger in Solomon's world carried such influence, he appears in other proverbs and that with vivid imagery.  Proverbs 25:13 paints a refreshing picture by stating, "As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful MESSENGER to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his masters."  Proverbs 26:6 gives an equally colorful but concerning image when it reads, "He that sendeth a MESSAGE by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage."  Think of the power and influence messengers in the Bible possessed - think of the messenger who Jacob sent to Esau when meeting for the first time after 20 years or the messengers that brought Job the terrible news about his employees and children or the messengers that brought David news of Absalom or the messengers delivering Paul's Epistles to the churches.  If any of them failed to deliver their messages or more importantly, failed to deliver them accurately and truthfully, the results could've been very damaging.  Messengers in the Bible were too important to be chosen carelessly and while we rely less on people today in relaying messages, we still need people and for that reason, we must heed the wise king in choosing our messengers carefully.

This proverb's message teaches us that it is the character of a messenger that matters most.  In Solomon's world, it would be tempting to pick the man or woman with the best transportation or with the most fit bodies but Solomon pointed his audience to the best character.  Loyalty and faithfulness were the best attributes for a messenger in Solomon's day and today, those attributes remain the best for a messenger in our day as well.  When it comes to sharing important or sensitive information with anyone, it can't matter how much you want to trust someone - it only matters if you can trust them.  Trustworthiness is revealed by time but it is founded in character.  You can only begin trusting someone with important words if and when you see relational integrity and sound character in them.  When entrusting a person with sensitive information after failing to detect virtue, that unfounded trust will lead to certain communication failure because "a WICKED messenger falleth into mischief."  Wickedness in the heart of a messenger leads to lying in the mouth of a messenger.  Wickedness in the soul of a messenger leads to the compromised delivery of messages for self-serving benefits.
 
Choose carefully who you pass information to and through for that messenger possesses the power to do you great harm or great help.  Choose carefully who you entrust with an important statement or sentiment because that messenger can deliver that statement to the wrong person or even to the right person at the wrong time.  Solomon observed and wisely concluded that we shouldn't go cheap on messengers.  Bargain shopping for messengers would lead to certain disappointment and be far more costly in the end because WICKED ones always fall into mischief somewhere along the delivery way.  The application is clear - don't just pick anyone to deliver a message.  Vet your messenger.  Read the reviews.  Run a background check.  Know their manner of life and their soul.

Once you've found a virtuous messenger, cherish that person because they are described in this proverb as "HEALTH."  A faithful messenger will protect you from conflict like a vaccine protects from illness.  A loyal representative will enrich your reputation like calcium enriches the bones.  A trustworthy ambassador who repeats only what you've said to only who you've approved is going to preserve relationships and in so doing, prevent unnecessary stress in your life.  Intellect and memory, while important for a messenger, are not the most important factors in choosing one.  Popularity and beauty, while tempting, should not be the biggest reasons for choosing a messenger.  Righteousness is the most important attribute a messenger needs to demonstrate before securing such an important role in your life.

Take it from an ancient but wise king - you'll regret sending a message with any carrier but a faithful one.  If you want the cheapest carrier, you'll end up paying in the end.  Just because you have something to say doesn't mean you can or should just say it to just anyone.  Find a faithful ambassador who can you can trust to not only speak the truth but also explain your heart should the need for clarification be necessary.  Messengers are so much more than middle men and middle women - they're incredibly influential people.