Proverbs 25:25-27 (ESV)
25 Like cold water to a thirsty soul,
so is good news from a far country.
26 Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain
is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.
27 It is not good to eat much honey,
nor is it glorious to seek one’s own glory.
Cold water refreshed the exhausted and overworked body. The anxious soul could also grow exhausted awaiting good news about a loved one far away. The report may have taken weeks or months to receive. In both cases, the righteous one was called to patiently wait and endure hardship. The upright woman who caves in to temptation, joining the wicked, is as much of a let-down as contaminated water. The water, which had the potential to bring refreshment and life, became polluted and ended up good for nothing. To exalt self is as foolish as eating too much honey. Both led to unwanted problems. What temptation are you facing today? You may think you can handle a little compromise and flirt with unrighteousness, but in the end there’s far more at stake than just you. When you stumble, so do those who are watching.