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Wednesday, April
30, 2008
Tongue Of The Wise
Proverbs 15:2-4 The tongue of the wise
useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness. (3)
The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.
(4) A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a
breach in the spirit. (KJV)
You know that word you just spoke or the
person you just spoke about recently, oh yeah the Lord was listening in as
well; as He does with all that we speak. So what exactly flowed from your
mouth, was it sweet water or bitter? Something that was living waters to
bring life and growth to those around you or was it like a poison, bitter
and what the word of God describes as a breach in the Spirit; that
relationship with the Father that has been breached and compromised thus
allowing a foreign substance into the heart?
The mouth of a fool is constantly pouring
out foolishness, and is now a pour excuse for a Christian. You know people,
not everything you hear about someone or some situation needs to be
broadcast, rather kept in secret and prayed about before a public
proclamation is made. You ever deal with people that all they do is talk
about everyone else, like their own life doesn’t even exist and probably
wouldn’t have much of an existence if they didn’t have something or in most
cases someone to talk about? What about our Lord, didn’t He give us enough
to talk about without being so enamored with everyone else’s business? If
you did need to speak concerning someone else, would it not be more proper
to deal with them first rather than broadcasting it aloud? Is there
anything more disgusting then all the tabloid journalism we see today,
especially when it involves a scandal? Rather than focus on the positive
and the good that is going on, this is what appeals more to those in the
realm of the flesh and not the Spirit. It’s one thing for a fallen world to
partake of this stuff; it’s another when it gets dragged into the Church
realm with those that should know better.
Proverbs 29:11 A fool uttereth all his
mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards. (KJV)
The Bible says love shall cover a
multitude of sins. That thing you heard about someone, or that thing they
confided in you with, was that done in trust and confidentiality or was it
something you couldn’t wait to hear and broadcast? A wise man operating in
the wisdom of God will know what to speak and when to speak something if
needed. A fool or a carnal childish person will utter all their mind with
no regard for who it offends, even our heavenly Father and His children.
Proverbs 17:9-10 He that covereth a
transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very
friends. (10) A reproof entereth more into a wise man than an hundred
stripes into a fool. (KJV)
Nothing to me is more of a turn off then
listening to people constantly talk about others behind their back; saying
things they wouldn’t be able to say faithfully to their face. If that is
the case then obviously it wasn’t something that needed to be spoken at
all, but rather kept covered in love, being more concerned with the welfare
of the brethren than their own. Oh sure hearing gossip and stuff about
other people perks ones interest, especially the lower fallen nature that
thrives on that stuff, but our new man in Christ needs to discern rightly
what is of God and what isn’t so that we don’t cause strife’s and
contentions in the body, separating what was once a tight knit family. And
heed the warning in verse 10 concerning reproof, because a wise man will
take it to heart, but a fool will reject it no matter how many times you
bring it, or how harshly you administer the reproof.
Proverbs 11:12-13 He that is void of
wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his
peace. (13) A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful
spirit concealeth the matter. (KJV)
Are you totally sure of what you heard
about someone else was actually based on truth, a factual account of what
really took place? If not, it wasn’t right for the knowledge, or should I
say lack of it, to be passed on; worse yet, it wasn’t right for you to keep
the chain of tale bearing alive and spreading like a raging wildfire. Are
you a faithful person that is not void of wisdom? Then you will know when
to speak and how to speak, and just as important when not to speak as well.
Remember that neighbor you are speaking about may just be one of God’s own
people; and when you become a tale bearer as well, you have now entered
into the realm of the enemy; instead of holding your peace you have now let
it go and lost it.
Proverbs 25:8-10 Go not forth hastily to
strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy
neighbour hath put thee to shame. (9) Debate thy cause with thy neighbour
himself; and discover not a secret to another: (10) Lest he that heareth it
put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away. (KJV)
Strong’s definition for infamy:
1681
dibbah (dib-baw'); from 1680 (in the sense of furtive motion);
slander:
KJV-- defaming, evil report, infamy,
slander.
All that tale bearing you chose to spread
forth, you know, what you chose to keep going around, it has just come back
around on your doorstep in the form of shame. Rather than being quick to hear,
slow to speak, slow to wrath, you chose to react according to emotions and
not to respond in the Spirit, which has resulted in a breach not only with
God but with His people. What should and could have been handled one on one
was not done decently and in order, but rather like something hitting the
fan and those around it as well. That smear campaign you were running ended
up to be a dead end chase; and now rather than being an example of the
believers you sound just like those of the world and its fallen nature.
Wisdom people, think before you speak; understand what it is you are going
to speak before you say it and make sure your motive is one of love and not
anger, because only one will be approved of God while the other will cause
shame and misery.
Proverbs 2:20-23 Where no wood is, there
the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.
(21) As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious
man to kindle strife. (22) The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and
they go down into the innermost parts of the belly. (23) Burning lips and a
wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross. (KJV)
That burning that is going on inside of
you, is it a result of your own words, the things you allowed into the
heart that is spewing from the mouth? Are you building up the body of
Christ or are you wounding their conscience and thus actually sinning
against Him? Living waters bring life and keep things alive and growing,
while a wildfire can be destructive and fanned by the tongue of those that
are not wise.
Proverbs 26:24-28 He that hateth
dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him; (25) When he
speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his
heart. (26) Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be
shewed before the whole congregation. (27) Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall
therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him. (28) A lying
tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth
worketh ruin. (KJV)
As we clearly see the end result of
flattery is ruin, and will be exposed not only to God but to all those of
His congregation who have their spiritual senses exercised to know the
difference between good and evil speech. There is no greater love we can
have for the Church than to lay down our lives for the brethren. And one
effective way to do that is with our words or our lack of them concerning
God’s people. When a pit was dug, it was hewn out of the side of a hill and
then a stone would be rolled in front of it, like a tomb. Remember what
kind of people end up in a tomb and then ask yourself ‘is that where you
want to end up also?’ Death and life are in the power of the tongue which
is an extension of the heart; what you allow in to the heart is what will
be coming out of it.
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