Wise Words November 24, 2021
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Introduction
Introduction
The book of Proverbs recognizes the importance of our words by addressing this subject approximately 150 times in 915 verses (one-sixth of the book).[1]
The power of words
The power of words
Words have extraordinary power. With only a few short sentences Abraham Lincoln gave the Gettysburg address inspiring a nation and propelling them towards winning the civil war
With countless words of hate and passion Hitler drove the German people on a mission of destruction in the world he painted with his words.
John F Kennedy laid a vision putting a man on the moon with his famous speech and even after his death the nation was driven to accomplish this task.
Osama bin Laden sent videos, messages, and inspirations throughout the Middle East galvanizing fighters who participated in 9/11.
Words don't just shape countries they shape individual, normal lives as well don't they?
The kind of words you say defines your success in your job.
The kind of words you say define your capacity to live a life with a lot of lifegiving friends.
That kind of words you say determines your capacity to maintain healthy family relationships.
There is a story of an old king who asked his servant to bring in the most dangerous thing in the Kingdom. The servant returned shortly with a human tongue on a platter. The king also asked the servant to go and find down the most valuable thing and again the servant returned with a human tongue on a platter. Our words have great destructive and great constructive capacity.
In truth if we can learn to use words with wisdom we can win souls for eternity, we can build healthy strong successful lives on earth and we can raise amazing kids and find success in our careers.
The stakes are high with this topic
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.
11 By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown.
And that God holds such a high view of words that he reveals himself to us through words doesn't he?
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
The limit of words
The limit of words
Now, obviously words have a limit.
In fact, proverbs warns us about this
23 In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.
And of course James warns us as well
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
We must put action to go along with our words. Words alone are not enough. In proverbs reminds us that for fools especially words are not enough.
13 On the lips of him who has understanding, wisdom is found, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks sense.
The source of words
The source of words
It's fascinating you can really tell the sense of sub someone's character by their words can't you. Words reveal the contents of your heart.
2 The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly.
31 The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut off.
Even Jesus spoke about this:
34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
23 Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.
Proverbs makes a clear case that if you watch over your words you will find extraordinary success in this life. But it also shows us that there’s a direct link between the words we say in what’s in our heart. If we change our hearts we will change our words and if we change our words we will change our hearts.
The destruction of words
The destruction of words
Now as you know words can also be quite destructive
9 With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor, but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.
27 A worthless man plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire.
Here are some examples of words that destroy
-Flattery
-Flattery
5 A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.
16 So you will be delivered from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words,
Flattery is dangerous isn't it? When you offer insincere praise to someone you either insult them or lie or you miss guide them. Or you use your words to manipulate someone into giving you something that you want. We need to speak with love for others
-Lies
-Lies
OK what's more selfish than lies?
28 A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin.
18 A man who bears false witness against his neighbor is like a war club, or a sword, or a sharp arrow.
18 Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death
19 is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I am only joking!”
As wise believers we must be diligent with truth. We must relentlessly believe in the value of telling the truth to others. It’s easy to believe in this when we are faced with big choices and big lies. But it is such a slippery slope to excuse a little lie or a lie that no one will ever notice.
-Gossip/Slander
-Gossip/Slander
Why is gossip so fun to do?
8 The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.
Easy to spread stories about other people because it makes you feel better about yourself. And it makes you feel like you have power to share. Something special.
13 Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.
But the reality is if we can be trustworthy with what other people share with us we can encourage others. If we spread slander we can destroy friendships
28 A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends.
The reality is that gossiping is worse than the coronavirus. It's a contagious disease that can be very quickly spread. It's our responsibility as believers as wise men and women to stop the spread of toxic gossip. Which is all slander. We need to be known as men and women who are always careful in what we say about others.
-Angry words
-Angry words
What about anger?
9 Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools.
Anger can be useful to drive us to seek justice for someone else. But more often speaking in acting out of anger will hurt us.
28 A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.
17 A man of quick temper acts foolishly, and a man of evil devices is hated.
22 A man of wrath stirs up strife, and one given to anger causes much transgression.
24 Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man,
Anger is obviously very destructive. We must invest in guarding ourselves against speaking and acting out of anger. Obviously for different believers, for different men and women we have different thresholds of anger. Different levels and things that makers angry. But however God has made us we must be careful and remember that anger this far more often destructive then it is put to good use.
-Argumentative words
-Argumentative words
A close cousin too anger is this idea of quarrelsome words. Or argumentative words.
6 A fool’s lips walk into a fight, and his mouth invites a beating.
19 Whoever loves transgression loves strife; he who makes his door high seeks destruction.
21 As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.
This one is especially relevant for Thanksgiving this week.
1 Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife.
Proverbs does not tell us to be doormats and let other people walk all over us. But proverbs warns us that if you are someone quick to a fight if you actually find yourselves getting into fights often then you need to check your heart. Because only a fool pursues arguments all the time.
A wise person once told me that if a family problem wasn't important enough to deal with before a holiday it certainly isn't important enough to deal with on the holiday.
When and if you spend more time with family this week and you find yourself moving to a sensitive topic, guard your words, use your language wisely and carefully. And beware in arguments and anger great destruction is possible.
-Perverse Words
-Perverse Words
20 A man of crooked heart does not discover good, and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity.
-Arrogant words
-Arrogant words
1 Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.
2 Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.
-Too Many words
-Too Many words
This is something we especially need to be careful of in this day and age. It is so easy to type and comment and text so much.
3 Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.
19 When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.
28 Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.
20 Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Perhaps one of the greatest ways we can learn more wisdom in our words is by speaking and typing less of them.
God’s judgement
God’s judgement
because our language is so powerful God is concerned and he will judge people who speak with foolishness.
12 The eyes of the Lord keep watch over knowledge, but he overthrows the words of the traitor.
10 Whoever winks the eye causes trouble, and a babbling fool will come to ruin.
7 A fool’s mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul.
36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak,
37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
How to learn to speak wise words.
How to learn to speak wise words.
Practice self-control
Practice self-control
As with every skill wise language takes practice. Fools simply blurt out whatever their thinking. Wise men and women guard their language
23 Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.
Listen
2 A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.
19 When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.
Trust God
22 Do not say, “I will repay evil”; wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you.
Forgive
32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Treasure integrity in your speech
Treasure integrity in your speech
19 Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment.
25 A truthful witness saves lives, but one who breathes out lies is deceitful.
Use words to build others
Use words to build others
29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
9 Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.
25 Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad.
5 Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
Learn Excellence in your words.
Learn Excellence in your words.
1 A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.
I’ve learned this with Ashley
14 Whoever blesses his neighbor with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, will be counted as cursing.
15 With patience a ruler may be persuaded, and a soft tongue will break a bone.
God’s blessing on wise words.
God’s blessing on wise words.
Speak with wisdom, spread wisdom, experience God’s blessing.
20 From the fruit of a man’s mouth his stomach is satisfied; he is satisfied by the yield of his lips.
Conclusion
Conclusion
The heart of our words
The heart of our words
Out of the overflow of our hearts our mouth speaks. Unless you allow God to do a transformation on your heart through the work of what Jesus did on the cross you will fight endlessly to change your speech. Wise speech comes out of a transformed heart.
23 Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.
34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
35 The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.
How Jesus Speaks to each of us.
How Jesus Speaks to each of us.
Jesus is called the word of God
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Jesus trusted Himself and His words to God.
23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.
Jesus gave us wise words that fill the New Testament
63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
If you want wisdom your words spend time meditating on and practicing some of the proverbs we’ve mentioned here today and remember God loves to answer the prayers of His Children.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
[1] Jim Newheiser, Opening up Proverbs, Opening Up Commentary (Leominster: Day One Publications, 2008), 136.