The Power of Words
The Quest for Wisdom • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
“Speech is a mirror of the soul; as a man speaks, so is he.”
Publilius Syrus, writer and actor, 85-43BC
Christians are to give careful heed to their speech. There is tremendous power in the words that we say to each other.
How many times have we heard stories of that one person who spoke either blessing or curses over someone— and it stayed with them for the rest of their life! It was either a tremendous encouragement, or discouragement to them forever.
The book of Proverbs, as you can imagine, has much to say about speech...
4 The words of the mouth are deep waters, but the fountain of wisdom is a rushing stream.
21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
The power of speech
Both to tear down and to build up -
4 The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.
What wisdom can be gleaned from Proverbs concerning our speech or language? Well, there is a powerful decision we make each time we choose to speak— we can use words that build up, or words that tear down.
We can use words that cause damage— or words that edify. You can say something that is hurtful, or you can say something that is helpful.
Speech that is hurtful.
Speech that is hurtful.
LYING- telling false statements, deliberately untruthful:(12:22, 6:19, 10:18, 25:18)
LYING- telling false statements, deliberately untruthful:(12:22, 6:19, 10:18, 25:18)
22 The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, 18 a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, 19 a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.
Lying is often rooted in hatred.
18 Whoever conceals hatred with lying lips and spreads slander is a fool.
18 Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow is one who gives false testimony against a neighbor.
Not speaking truthfully will eventually destroy the liar.
FLATTERY - Excessive and insincere praise. (26:28, 29:5, 25:20)
FLATTERY - Excessive and insincere praise. (26:28, 29:5, 25:20)
28 A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin.
Works ruin? How might this happen?
5 Those who flatter their neighbors are spreading nets for their feet.
Flattery is essentially a form of untruthfulness.
Flattery is essentially a form of untruthfulness.
You may not actually believe what you are telling someone about either themselves or something they have done— you’re using words to try to manipulate them. You are better off expressing the truth— or perhaps staying silent on the matter altogether.
20 Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar poured on a wound, is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.
There is an appropriate time to praise and encourage someone. There is also a bad time to try to just cheer someone up. They don’t need that from us at that moment.
GOSSIP - idle talk or rumor, especially about the personal or private affairs of others (11:9, 17:9, 16:28, 26:22)
GOSSIP - idle talk or rumor, especially about the personal or private affairs of others (11:9, 17:9, 16:28, 26:22)
9 With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors, but through knowledge the righteous escape.
9 Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
20 Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. 21 When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. 22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside.
23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father naked.
The sin of Ham is often interpreted in various ways, and interpretations may differ among religious traditions. One interpretation focuses on the disrespectful or dishonoring attitude that Ham displayed by gossiping about his father's condition rather than covering him with respect.
Proverbs 16:27-28 Pr 16:27-28; 26:20-22
28 A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.
20 Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down. 21 As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife. 22 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts.
10 “Do not slander a servant to their master, or they will curse you, and you will pay for it.
Whether true or not is incidental; gossip destroys the character and integrity of a person.
Whether true or not is incidental; gossip destroys the character and integrity of a person.
Speaking evil of others harms yourself.
Speaking evil of others harms yourself.
Speech that is helpful.
Speech that is helpful.
GOOD words - right, proper, correct. (16:24, 12:25)
GOOD words - right, proper, correct. (16:24, 12:25)
24 Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
25 Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.
Good speech reveals the good heart of the speaker.
Good speech reveals the good heart of the speaker.
TIMELY words - at a favorable, useful time, opportune. (15:23, 25:11)
TIMELY words - at a favorable, useful time, opportune. (15:23, 25:11)
23 A person finds joy in giving an apt reply— and how good is a timely word!
11 Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a ruling rightly given.
Timely speech reveals the wisdom of the speaker.
Timely speech reveals the wisdom of the speaker.
CONTROLLED - restrained or regulated, careful, intentional (13:3, 15:1, 21:23, 17:27)
CONTROLLED - restrained or regulated, careful, intentional (13:3, 15:1, 21:23, 17:27)
3 Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.
1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. 2 The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.
23 Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity.
27 The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered. 28 Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.
(Seth Kolb joke— “why open my mouth and remove all doubt?”)
Careful speech will enhance the reputation of the speaker.
Careful speech will enhance the reputation of the speaker.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
From Proverbs we learn the value of being careful of our speech...
Avoiding much harm to ourselves and to others
Doing much good to ourselves and to others
Which may help us appreciate why Paul was so concerned that Christians...
6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
It takes practice— that’s why fellowship and community are so important. This is our best way to grow and learn. In the “laboratory” of family and friends— coworkers and teammates.
Learning and growing together— helping each other by telling the truth in love.
James 3:5–12 “5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. 7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.”
14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Some of us are convicted today about this whole subject of our speech. We need to be more careful in how we talk to our families, our coworkers, our kids, etc.
I’ve devised something new for us to try today: A little survey.
slido.com is a website where you can answer some survey questions!
Is your speech helpful or hurtful? Which of the three detrimental types of speech are you convicted to eliminate from your speech?
Which aspects of helpful talk are you most convicted to improve?
Sarah is going to sing a brief melody that is quite familiar, but with some very powerful words— I would welcome you to let her sing these lyrics as our prayer and ask God to help us be more aware of our speech. Decrease the hurtful, and increase the helpful. Listen more, and be wise in how we talk.