Proverbs 10:1-32
Saturday, 27 May 2023
The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain; the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions. -Proverbs 10:11 NLT
Words are powerful- an essential vehicle of communication for human beings! Therefore how important it is that we choose well the words we speak- they can make or break! Our reading brings several contrasts between the mouth of a godly man and a wicked man. For example see Prov.10:31 “From the mouth of the righteous comes the fruit of wisdom, but a perverse tongue will be silenced.”
Christ Jesus emphasized the fact that our words originate from the heart and what the heart contains is reflected in our speaking. He said thus in Luke 6:45: “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” An unregenerate heart is sinful and can only bring forth the produce of the sin in it. They are full of violent intentions and wickedness. But a person who decides to invite Christ into his life, has heart renewed by the Holy Spirit and becomes “born again.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” When the Spirit of God resides in a believer, he yields himself to be controlled and guided by the Holy Spirit which will begin to show forth the fruit of the Spirit.
The believer who is controlled by the Spirit of God learns to speak:
· Words that build
Ephesians 4: 29 says: “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” If we would have been conscientious to speak words that build others not tear them down, how different our world would have been today! Prov.15: 4 reminds us, “A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, But perverseness in it breaks the spirit.” As believers we can make a difference by speaking words that are kind and constructive, which definitely will make a difference in non-believers’ lives, the more you sow them intentionally.
· Words that encourage
We are called to be a source of encouragement to those who are facing hard knocks in life, those feeling defeated and depressed, with no hope in life. Isaiah 50:4 says: “The Sovereign LORD has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.” The believer has the words of Christ to offer that can bring hope and light down that tunnel.
· Words that are life-giving
Proverbs 18: 21: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.” Well, those words can be disturbing for those who are unmindful of what they spurt out without giving much thought. We are called to speak words of life! The key verse says, the words of the godly are a life-giving fountain! Imagine the feeling one receives when one splashes some cold water onto a tired and heat-smeared face—how refreshing! The life-giving Word of God is available to all believers to share with those who need it.
Having understood the importance of good and godly words that need to come forth from our lips, can we willfully yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit, that in our daily lives our words will become a life-giving fountain to many.
To Practice: Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (Colossians 4:6)
Listen: 'Speak life'