Proverbs 25:4 – 5

Remove the dross from the silver, and a silversmith can produce a vessel; remove wicked officials from the king’s presence, and his throne will be established through righteousness.

In ancient times, silver used to be refined by heating silver ore to a liquid state. The impurities would float to the top of the molten silver and then be skimmed off. This mixture of impurities was called dross. Once the silver was purified, the silversmith could create something special and valuable.

In government wicked officials are like dross, i.e., they are like impurities that prevent a righteous and effective government. They can give the leader bad advice, misrepresent him/her, sway them to do things which are unwise, immoral or downright illegal. They can cause general mistrust in the government which can lead to chaos in the land. They can keep the city, state or country from becoming what is possible under godly leadership.

The same can be said of “dross” in our lives. “Dross” can include people, attitudes, habits, actions, and thoughts. “Dross” can adversely affect our workplace, families, friends, place of worship and even our own mental state. “Dross”, like in government, can cause us to fall short of what God wants us to be. To fall short of His standards, principles and commands is by definition sin.

Take an honest inventory of your life. If you find any “dross”, take steps to remove the impurities in your life. Proverbs 3:1 – 2 states that if we keep God’s teachings and commands in our hearts, we can experience peace, soundness and completeness.

So the question on the table is: What kind of life do you want? One with peace, soundness and completeness or chaos?