Pleasant words are a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. Proverbs 16:24

"If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." That is a quote from my dearest mother - and from mothers for generations. My mom was not wanting me to refrain from saying the truth if it was hard - but she was wanting me to learn the principle behind today's proverb of the day. That proverb tells us the wonderful value of speaking pleasant words to others.

The word for "pleasant" here is the Hebrew word, "noam." This word means something beautiful, pleasant, and delightful. The word was used to speak of things that were sen or beheld that were of this nature. The word is used in Psalm 27:4 of the splendor of the Lord. It means to say something that creates delight in someone - yet the words do this because they are wise words as well. The word is also used figuratively of a shepherd's staff and the comfort that is brings to the sheep as it guides them in a good way.

When we speak these pleasant words, we are speaking of God's wisdom - but speaking it in a way that befits the term "honeycomb." We remember a former proverb that told us that more flies are caught with honey than with vinegar. The idea here is that a wise man speaks his words of wisdom - but does so remembering that a harsh word stirs up anger - but soft words can break a bone. Therefore he tries as often as possible to speak pleasant words as he offers the wisdom of God to others. We read here that these words are like a honeycomb. This presents a wonderful picture of nature for us - that points to the value of these pleasant words.

A honeycomb is a wonderful thing in the physical world. It is the place where bees store their honey when they work gathering nectar from flowers around them. They honeycomb was considered the nectar of the gods by the early Greeks because of all the healing properties that they found in it. First it is very healing to skin - even fuctioning as a wonderful antiseptic for skin wounds. It is also healing in that it has been found to have a tremendous amount of anti-oxidents within it. There is also an aspect of honey's usefulness that applies to allergies. In the early days of history people would chew on the honeycomb to help relieve severe allergies. Allergists today say that if we will get local honeycomb and chew on it one to two weeks prior to spring, our sinus and eye allergies would be greatly reduced.

The blessing here is to the soul and the bones of the body. The bones are the source of our blood supply - therefore were seen as the very life-force of the body. Therefore what we are told here is that we become such a blessing to others when we speak gracious and pleasant words to others. Such words will be a soul-healing thing to those who hear them. Just as honeycomb is healthy for our bodies - so beautiful words are to our souls.

Think with me for a moment or two of the majority of words that we hear in our world today. We are currently in an election cycle in our country. We cringe as we realize that once again we are going to be bombarded with the most negative statements made by each candidate about their opponents. The air is heavy with the negativity and the stench of character assassination. This seems to spill over into our world as just about everyone gets caught up - not in pleasant and beautiful words - but in the dark, evil, damaging words of the campaigns. It has gotten to where the two sides are so hateful to each other that there is no middle ground - or ways that we can even speak of the other side without incurring the wrath of someone thinking that we are selling out.

Let me encourage you in the midst of this time to do something to counter our culture. Do you very best to speak as many "pleasant" words as possible to one another. Take the time to notice something good about as many situations and circumstances as possible. Make it your goal to look for the pleasant every single day and speak of it glowingly. Do your utmost to find as much to say about the goodness and grace of God as possible. This way we can be a healing influence in a society that desperately needs a little good news that actually nourishes our souls!

There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, But the tongue of the wise brings healing.   Proverbs 12:18

Have you ever had someone say something to you that was so cutting that it felt like a sword stabbing you in the heart?  Unfortunately, those moments happen - and God warns us about them.  Today's proverb reminds us that our words can cut deeply when we speak out of anger or resentment - and do so rashly without thinking about what we are about to say.

Solomon warns his son that there are those who will speak out of the wrong kind of passion.  They speak in anger and rage.  They speak rashly - and therefore do not consider what their words are about to do to the one who is hearing them.  Just about everyone in our world has had one of those moments.  We speak out of anger to a spouse and cut them deeply to the heart.  We speak out of frustration to a child and crush their spirit.  We speak out of resentment to a co-worker and damage our relationship with them.  Whatever the situation, the key here is not to speak "rashly."  This word means to speak thoughtlessly.  The fact is that they just do not take the time to think about what they are saying - and to do so with a graciousness that considers the other person's feelings.  Therefore their words are foolish and said flippantly.  They usually do not know the damage they are causing till later - and sometimes they don't get it at all.  We cannot get our words back once we speak them - therefore we should send out our words with some thought before speaking them.  James warned in the New Testament that we should be "slow to speak."  Following such wisdom will keep us from broken relationships and from having to apologize for saying something stupid.

There are also those whose tongue bring healing.  One damages while the other heals.  Their statements can comfort those who have been hurt.  They can counsel people to do what is necessary to remedy bad choices, bringing spiritual healing to their lives.  There is also another way they can speak - and that is with the Scriptures - which can heal a breach between men - but more importantly can heal THE BREACH between man and God.  Such words are spoken of elsewhere in Proverbs as apples of gold set in settings of silver - for they are words spoken in a right situation. 

One last thing about this particular proverb - and it comes from a personal experience of reading the Scriptures in my quiet time.  I remember reading this particular proverb and thinking that I do not want to use my tongue like a fool swinging a sword blindly.  But I also began to grieve - thinking that I wished that there was something more powerful than a human tongue.  Then the Holy Spirit brought to mind a Scripture that I had memorized.  Hebrews 4:12 says that the Word of God is sharper than any double-edged sword.  It was then that I realized that although human words can cut us - nothing is as sharp as the Word of God.  And whereas the careless words of the fool may damage - God uses His Word to cut in a way that brings healing.  Hosea speaks of this in chapter six of his prophecy.  God was going to use His word upon His people - and it would wound them.  But it would be the kind of wounding that would be bandaged and healed later.  It was like the wound of a surgeon - who only cuts to remove a cancerous tumor that will eventually kill us.  These are Hosea's words,

"Come, let us return to the Lord.  For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us.  He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day, that we may live before Him."  Here we read how the tongue of the Wisest of all was used to bring healing - even though it cut as the words were heard.  May we be those who speak the truth - who speak righteousness - who speak so as to bring healing to others.