Proverbs 10:10

He who winks maliciously causes grief, and a chattering fool comes to ruin. (Proverbs 10:10)

Here we have grief and ruin with both active and passive participants. The ‘active’ chattering fool comes to ruin, but the ‘passive’ victim of malicious winking experiences grief. We need to keep our eyes open to both. A chattering fool is so preoccupied with his or her own opinions that they are often easy prey for those who would take advantage of them. When we stop talking and start listening, we will begin to discern people’s motives for their involvement in our lives. Then, we can hold on to those who will bring us joy and let go of those who will cause us grief through their deception.