Proverbs 10:19-21
Sin is unavoidable when there is much talk,but whoever seals his lips is wise (19). The tongue of a righteous person is pure silver, the hearts of wicked people are worthless (20)The lips of a righteous person feed many, but stubborn fools die because they have no sense (21).
Solomon spares no feelings here, this is funny to me because we deal with the exact same things in today’s culture. Someone with a guilty conscious can offer up to much information making it very easy to spot liars. Sometimes the best answer or response is to say nothing or say just a little. There isn’t any doubt that you can find out a lot about someone just by listening.
We are told about this all throughout Proverbs and in many other books as well, “Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger (James 1:19). Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouth, except what is good for building each other up (Ephesians 4:29).” Over and Over again we hear this, I’m pretty sure that if God has put it into writing that many times, he must be pretty serious about it. Or perhaps that is the one thing that is hard to tame and he knew it would be. I am guilty of all of this that I write! It is so easy to talk about someone who has made you mad, or said something stupid and all you want to do is respond, and not in a Christ like way. It is very clear that you will look like the fool, and possibly be perceived as stubborn.
So what happens when the wrong words have leapt from our mouths? We ask God to forgive us and help us to tame our tongues, maybe in addition we apologize to those who we have hurt with our words.
I want God’s words to feed many, and I want to be used as a vessel for them. So when you are slow to respond or slow to anger, it doesn’t mean you are a person that can be walked on, it just means that when you do speak, it’s God through you and in the situation. Let’s apply his words today and pray that people see him in us when we speak.
Photography: @bdebard