The Wordly Wise

UV 1783/10000 The Wordly Wise

The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out.
Proverbs 10 v 31

The lips of the righteous encourage many people. Their words are better than choice food or delicacies to their listeners. Their lips and their mouths are anointed by the Lord. The Spirit of the Lord guides them into all wisdom. They use their words graciously to heal and strengthen relationships, to give access to well being and salvation to many. The wicked use their tongues to hurt or harm others with sarcasm, lies, gossip, malice, slander. It is a weapon with which they commit suicide as it cuts their own necks. Ananias and Saphira lied to Peter and fell dead as they were judged to have defied God in holding back a portion of the sale proceeds of their house.

The just measure their words against the Word. They check if their words are wholesome and helpful, if they are true and necessary. They refine it through many sieves or filters before they utter a single word. They run the words in their minds after it is spoken to see if it falls short of the standards of God in anyway. They recognize and believe that their tongues have power of life and death, to use it more to enhance and promote life than to take life, to cause destruction. They restrain themselves to speak less when they are feeling low or down, hurt or angry. They use their words to motivate and equip people, not to condemn, pull down and destroy their esteem.

The just use their tongues to confess the positive, to affirm others, to edify or build up the faith of others. It is interesting to see that Peter used his tongue to deny Jesus thrice at the climax of the life and ministry of Jesus. After His resurrection, Jesus leads Peter into affirming that he loves Him thrice. The same mouth that had in a cowardly way denied Jesus was used to feed unbelievers, young believers and those who are mature in faith. It is a clue that the power of affirmation can negate and overcome the power of negation, the power of denial, the power of lies of the enemy of our souls. We need to use our tongues to affirm ourselves, others and the Lord. The little tongue boasts of many powers like these: the power of persuasion, the power of assertion, the power of healing and deliverance. The tongue can be used to inspire hope and confidence in people. It is the most powerful tool of the leader when it is used effectively and it is also the most powerful weapon to bring him down. The qualities of our hearts and minds are revealed in the words we speak. The rivers of life giving water that flows from our hearts as the Holy Spirit fills us, the fruit of the spirit – these manifest themselves through the words we speak. The rivers of life giving water are our attitudes. There is a deep connection between our tongues and our hearts, minds and spirits. The tongue reveals what the heart is full of. If it is full of envy, hatred, fear, bitterness, the fruit thereof or the words would also be likewise. If it is full of love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, humility, gentleness, joy, self restraint and wisdom, our words too would mirror these attitudes. Our mouths should be like a spring that comes forth from the Rock of Jesus.

Prateep V Philip