A worthless man digs up evil, While his words are like scorching fire. Proverbs 16:27

There are those who seem to love digging up dirt on others. These are the ones who love gossip and betrayal and slander. But such a man is a very wicked man. The proverb for today says that a "worthless" man is the one who digs up evil. That word "worthless" is the term, "beliyal" in the Hebrew and it means someone who is a scoundrel and who has no good in himself. This man plots to find and to expose evil in others.

We are told that when this wicked man gets the right information to slander and destroy others, he lets it forth in a belching flame of fire. He scorches the earth with his inflamatory language with every intent on destroying his adversaries and causing their reputation to go up in the flames of his evil rhetoric. The term used here are that his words are like scorching fire. The literal is that his lips burn like an uncontrolable fire. We are warned agaisnt such things in  James 3:6 where we read,

"So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. James 3:5-6

This is why we need to set a guard over our lips and our mouths. Our tongues are a fire themselves and can be the very world of iniquity. If we do not learn how to control our tongues we may learn all too late that our tongues can defile our entire lives and be set on fire by hell itself. That is why we need to make sure that we use our tongues for good rather than for wickedness. May God take our tongues and tame them by His Spirit so that, rather than being a scorching fire set abaze by hell itself - we become one whose words are a healing balm from the Lord Himself!

The heart of the wise instructs his mouth And adds persuasiveness to his lips. Proverbs 16:23

One of the maladies that I face in my life is that I engage my mouth too often without fully engaging my mind as to what I am going to say. That particular malady results in another and that is that I find my foot often lodged in my mouth shortly after the first malady manifests itself. Needless to say today's proverb was eye-opening to say the least. I learned that what truly needs to be engaged before I speak is my heart - which is to be what instructs my mouth before it engages in saying what "ought" to be said.

The heart of a wise man instructs his mouth what to say. Some might say that if this were the case all we would say is, "thump, thump" in a rythmic fashion. (Oops, there I go again!) But the Hebrew concept of the heart is a wondeful one. The heart refers to the immaterial inner self - or what the Holy Spirit would refer to as man's spirit. This is considered by the Hebrew mind to be our inner nature - the workings of our mind as it is instructed by the Holy Spirit using as His primary text, the Word of God. Thus the mouth is instructed by none other than the Holy Spirit Himself - who takes the Word and uses it to instruct us, through our spirit, so that our mind is taught. This working then brings to our mind things that should be filtered out - or in some cases filtered in.

Scripture, for example, instructs us in Colossians 4:6, "Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person." What a great instruction for our mouths. Therefore, as the Spirit does this He asks us, "Hey Bubba (sorry, I live in Arkansas and this is pretty effective here), is what you are going to say gracious? Does it have a little 'salt of the gospel' in it - so that it will make whoever is hearing you thirsty for God - and the gospel?" Something else the Spirit of God might ask is this, "Yo Bubbba, did you think about what this person truly and lovingly NEEDS - or - are you just spouting off what you want to say to them?" These are things that will truly alter how you speak - because in all honesty - not even our words belong to us. We were bought with a price - therefore we are to glorify God with our bodies - which, by the way, includes our mouths!

Here is another way our mouth can be instructed by the wisdom of the Spirit of God. He may choose to remind us of Ephesians 4:29 which says, "Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear." So this time the Spirit of God may chime in with something like this. "Dude (this is when I am in California), is what you are going to say wholesome, or does it smell like rotten fruit or nasty-smelling fish! Are you going to build up your friend - or just confirm him in the same worldly ways that his other friends speak? Like, you totally need to think about what he NEEDS right now! Have you even heard what HE'S been saying at a heart level in this conversation and others? Don't be a total bogart man - give him some grace - some love brother - some real helpful, encouraging, gospel-smelling stuff!"

Now, apart from the regionalization of all this in my language - there are a few VERY important things we can learn from just these two examples.  We learn how the Scriptures would be used by the Holy Spirit to instruct our mouths. First, note that in both examples the Lord wants to instruct us to think of others as we open our mouths. Second, note as well in both examples that the Lord wants us to have our words abound with grace as we speak. Lastly, there is either stated or implied that our words are to be used to build others up - not tear them down. You can take these three things to the verbal-bank! We ought to write them on the inside of our mouths, so to speak, so that we are reminded that any word that proceeds out of them should be -  1) others-minded, 2) filled with grace and the gospel, and 3) encouraging! Can you imagine the difference that would make in a matter of days in the things we say!?

The rest of today's proverb reminds us that when we do this - our hearts will help us to have additional "persuasiveness" added to everything we say. I have known people like this in my life - and they are amazing people. They are the E.F. Hutton's of the spiritual world - and in many ways the world in general. When they speak - people listen! The amazing thing is that this is not because they have "earth-shaking" things to say every time they open their mouths. It is more because you will be blessed and uplifted whenever they speak! You want to hear what they say - because it nourishes your very soul to hear it.

Precious ones . . . let us not be people whose mouths are instructed by our culture - or by our own selfish motives - or by the evil one who would love to use our mouths for his own destructive purposes. Let us be people of the grace-filled, love-overflowing, life-encouraging, Spirit-instructed mouth! Let us embrace hearing what our hearts have to say about what words we should use. And as we listen to this soul-nourishing instruction for our mouths - may we submit our hearts to be ruled and governed by the Holy Spirit of God. May His tutelage dominate our conversations, our statements, and our answers so that others may be blessed - made thirsty for the God who speaks through us - and hungry for the same gospel grace that has changed our hearts, which is the very reason that our conversation is so different!

Evil thoughts are an abomination to the Lord, But pleasant words are pure.  - Proverbs 15:26

Thoughts and words actually come from the same place, from the heart.  So as we look at today's proverb, we can see that out of the hearts of men come evil thoughts and plans.  Knowing that the Bible teaches that the heart is deceitful above all things and is desperately wicked, we can know that such thoughts and plans reside in the breast of every man alive.  The thoughts of man's heart were at one point so wicked that God decided to destroy the earth in the days of Noah.  That is how much of an abomination these things are to Him. 

We read next that pleasant words are pure.  This might be a little hard to understand unless once again we take a biblical viewpoint.  Words that come out of the mouth originate in the heart first.  Jesus said that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.  Thus when someone has pleasant words - they come from a pure heart.  There are thoughts behind them that are equally pleasant as well. 

Thoughts and words are very important to the Lord - and should be to us as well.  Jesus made it clear in the Sermon on the Mount that there was far more to a man than just his actions.  There were the things he thought and did in his heart.  A man might state emphatically that he has never committed adultery, but if he looks at a woman with lust in his heart, Jesus says, he has already committed adultery with her in his heart.  These things are vital for us to grasp because they take religion out of merely acting good - and puts it where it should be - that our hearts are transformed to be good at their core.  This is wisdom that cannot be refuted.  

A man has joy in an apt answer, And how delightful is a timely word! Proverbs 15:23

Don't you love it when you say the right thing - in the right way - at just the right time? That is what our proverb is about today. It is about being wise enough to know when to speak - and not only that - but what to speak when you have the opportunity.

The beginning of this proverb starts with a Hebraism about the mouth. There is joy in having an answer of the mouth, which the way that this Hebraism would read. It has to do with the ability to speak well - or in this case to speak what helps others. When speaking of Moses' complaint to God about his inability to speak, this similar Hebraism is used. Moses complained to God that he had a "heavy mouth." This meant that he stuttered and stammered when he spoke. This speech problem made Moses think he could not be a spokesman for God. God gave him Aaron to speak for him, but we see plainly that Moses did not struggle to speak when the Spirit of God moved upon him to confront Pharaoh. The mouth of the man here in proverbs knows no such problem. He brings joy to others as they here the "answer of his mouth," which means the perfect thing to say in the moment. Whether this is a word of teaching, reproof, correction, or training in righteousness - the best word to speak is one that is in agreement with God's Word on the matter.

The prophet Nathan spoke the perfect word to David to bring him to repentance over his adultery and cover-up of his sin. Joshua spoke the perfect word to the people of Israel as they needed to decide whether they would serve the Lord. David spoke the perfect word to Goliath to remind him that God was going to give David victory because of Goliath's mocking of God. Daniel had the perfect words to speak to Nebuchadnezzar when he needed his dream interpretted. Jesus always had the perfect word to speak to detractors, to those who were hungry for his Word, and to those who came to Him needy and longing for God's grace and healing.

A timely word is delightful - both to the one who speaks it and to the one who receives it. There are so many who come to church hurting who need to hear such words. They long for a word of encouragement - for someone to lift them up. Others who are complacent and full of themselves need rebuke. Others still may need exhortation because they are timid about following the Lord radically. And a few who are long term church members, but who do not know Christ, need someone to love them by sharing the gospel with them so they can move from just being religious - to being Christians. No matter what the need, God will give us these "answers of the mouth." He will do so as we surrender to Him and desire far more to speak the truth in love - than just to engage in small talk.

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.  

He who speaks truth tells what is right, But a false witness, deceit.  Proverbs 12:17

Today's proverb has a picture to paint for us about being a person who speaks truth and what is right, or a person who is deceitful and untrustworthy in what they say.  The picture that is painted for us is framed by the Hebrew word used for "speaking" that is mentioned first in this verse.  The word used here is the Hebrew word "puah" which means to breathe.  It refers to how we breathe out.  This is a word used in a poetic way in the Old Testament.  In the Song of Solomon it speaks of the day breathing.  This refers to how the shadows of morning flee at the appearance of the sun.  Here in Proverbs 12:17 it refers to the way that we speak - but not just in a specific situation.  It refers to our lifestyle - or - what kind of things come out of our mouths in every situation in life.  Of course what we see in the rest of the proverb is that we either speak truth or deceit. 

There are those who speak truth and what is right.  "Truth" is the word "emunah" which refers to something true and faithful.  The primary thing being communicated with this word is faithfulness.  Through the rest of the Bible the word speaks of character - God's in Deuteronomy 32:4, Psalm 33:4, 100:5, and 119:90 - and that of people in 2 Chronicles 19:9, Proverbs 12:22, and 28:20.  When someone is speaking truth - they are being faithful in what they say.  The whole proverb says that they are speaking faithfully - and what they speak is finally defined as "what is right."  What does all this mean in the end?  The faithful man or woman declares what is right.  The word for right is "tsedeq" which is the word that speaks of righteousness - or right by God's standard.  It is an ethical word that referred to God's justice and righteousness as represented by the Law of Moses - and by the reaffirmation of God's Word by the prophets.  Here, though, is how this works out for you and me in the 21st century. 

Situational ethics unfortunately rules the day in our world.  Everything is negotiable.  There is no absolute truth - except what you yourself are comfortable in holding - and even that only applies to yourself (except when you are uncomfortable with your own standards - and then you can change those too).  What is left is a society founded upon shifting sands.  But as the people of God - the people saved by His grace - we will stand out like brightly painted, fully lit up sore thumbs!  We are those who regardless of public opinion - hold faithfully to God's Word as our source of truth and what is right.  We not only believe this in our thinking - we also faithfully speak it out of our mouths.  In the midst of a world where the winds of change and compromise drive the public conscience wherever they blow - we are a biblical breath of fresh air when we speak.  To some we will be a breath of death - but to those who are being saved - it will be a breath of life to life. 

At this point I am going to say some things that will most likely offend people - yet they need to be said.  Too often a statement is made like the one above - and yet people will interpret it according to their "situational ethic" mindset.  Thus what is right once again is mired in personal opinion.  A faithful truth-teller will speak up when it comes to biblical ethics and righteousness.  That means that they will speak up about biblical sexuality.  Biblical sexuality is abstinence before heterosexual marriage - followed by faithfulness to one spouse in that heterosexual marriage until death parts them.  Thus a faithful truth-teller will oppose heterosexual immorality and homosexuality, as well as their off-shoots living together outside of marriage and homosexual marriage.  A faithful truth-teller will state that abortion is wrong - in all cases.  A faithful truth-teller will openly stand for racial harmony - and will view racism as evil and sinful.  A faithful truth-teller will state that we are to oppose greed and selfishness by giving to the poor - but will also say that providing for able bodied people who can work is wrong.  Everywhere God's Word makes an statement of ethical morals - the faithful truth-teller will stand - and will speak it.  And . . . just in case a person decides to speak the truth - but not speak it in love - the faithful truth-teller will remind them that the spirit in which you say something (i.e. not like a jerk - and with grace and mercy - yet saying what is true even if the truth itself is offensive) is as important as the truth itself. 

There is a second kind of wind that blows from the words that people speak.  It is the false witness who speaks deceit.  The false witness is the one who speaks lies and vanity.  The word is used of those who were false witnesses in a trial - who lied on the stand.  It refers to a person who says vain things and lives their life in vain.  There is little or no other purpose to their existance than to live for themselves and love themselves.  Their deciet is an intentional misleading of others by either distorting or withholding the truth from them.  Their deceit is evidenced by the fact that there IS absolute truth - but they will not state it or hold to it.  As offensive as some will take this - the false witness is the one who does not speak according to the ethical and moral standards held by God's Law and the entirety of Scripture.  There IS a right and wrong!  God gives it to us by His divine authority - and has revealed it to us in the Scriptures.  Not holding to this - or trying to twist it in any way - is being a false witness. 

When it comes to your words - what kind of breath flows from you throughout your day?  Are you one who breathes forth deceit.  Please understand that in our culture this person is the norm.  They breathe forth the lies of our immoral and biblically unethical society.  We hear them every day on the news - in our entertainment - everywhere.  You and I are to be a breath of fresh air.  They may not see it as fresh because they have been breathing in the sulfuric lies of the pit for a lifetime.  But to speak lovingly and biblically is to speak fresh, life-giving air to those all around you.  Speak the truth.  Speak faithfully.  Speak life-giving, fresh air to all with whom you come into contact!  Be a faithful truth-teller!

A man will be satisfied with good by the fruit of his words, And the deeds of a man's hands will return to him.  Proverbs 12:14 

How does a man have a "full" life?  This is an interesting question because first you would have to get a definition of what a "full" life is - and then you might be able to answer this question.  My own personal definition of a full life is one that remains full after death when we stand before God.  I know many people who describe a full life - but often their definition rests on a fullness that is very temporary.  Their fullness will go away - and often it will go away quickly.  They will find that either their fullness will end after their pleasure runs its course and begins to cost on the back end - or it will become a glaring emptiness once they leave this life and stand in the presence of God giving account for why they considered what God calls empty - fullness. 

God tells us how to have a "full" life.  It is by being a man who understands the power of words - and uses them to build up - to encourage - to bless - rather than to kill, steal, and destroy.  This man uses his words to bless because we read here that he is satisfied with good "by the fruit of his words."  Every word he speaks is like a good seed - one that God approves and desires for us to speak.  People are blessed and built up.  They are glad that they have been in his presence to hear these encouraging and wonderful words.  That is why he is blessed by them - because rather than his words coming back to haunt him - they are coming back to bless and reward him.  Please do not misunderstand, this is not a "yes" man who only says what you want to hear.  He is a man who speaks the truth - even when the initial reaction is negative.  But he is not wanting a reward of the instant reaction of his words - he is wanting the "fruit" of them.  It takes a while for fruit to develop.  Thus he lives for the long-term affects of his words.

But there is more we learn here.  This man also has the "deeds of his hands" return to him as well.  These deeds are those that honor and glorify the Lord.  They are deeds of kindness - and deeds which Jesus said would cause men to glorify God your Father when they experience them.  Thus they are biblically blessed words - and biblically condoned deeds.  How God wants us to have these kind of words and deeds be those that characterize our lives.  How do we live a life that speaks these kind of words and does these kind of deeds?  It is a life that turns to the Word of God for direction, for counsel, and for the words and deeds that is says and does.  What does God call a good deed?  Do that kind of deed.  What does God say are good words to speak?  Speak those kind of words. There really is no magic formula for a life that is blessed in the end.  It is simply a life that turns to God's Word to define how life is lived - and how one's mouth is used.

Your eyes will see strange things And your mind will utter perverse things. Proverbs 23:33

In our look at the life and times of the drunken fool we next encounter the physical effects of alcohol on our eyes and mouth.  It is a proven fact medically that alcohol will affect our minds - and through that our ability to think and respond to things clearly.

Our brains control both of these functions and since the brain has a large blood supply going to them, they are more quickly influenced by the alcohol levels rising in our blood due to drinking.  Within less than an hour two major problems develop for the drunken fool.  First the
brain itself is hindered from its ability to have nerves function normally.  Alcohol in the blood supply depresses our nerve conductivity - thus it also results in a slow down of our ability to think and react to things.  Next as the blood alcohol level reaches muscles - our eye muscles will lose their full ability to function and we will begin to have blurred vision.  As these things are multiplied by the drunken fool - the brain may begin to misinterpret information and won't react properly to stimuli that are coming to it.  The more acute the situation the more that things become distorted with some even having hallucingenic conditions in their comprehension of what is happening to them.  One thing I learned while researching these things on the internet is that this is why we should never drink and drive.  The more drunk someone is - the more their ability to react to stimuli is impaired - making them very dangerous on the road.  One test involved giving goggles to drivers that simulated various stages of drunkenness.  At lower blood alcohol levels the failure level of drivers to pass even simple tests was frightening to see.  Things only got worse as the person's blood alcohol levels rose. 

The second statement here is that not only will the drunken fool see strange things - but he will also say "perverse things."  When the brain is filled with higher and higher levels of blood alcohol - the brains ability to filter things is severely hampered.  Things that would normally be supressed flow freely.  The fact that perversity flows more at these blood alcohol levels should be of little shock to us since we know that the Bible says that we are fallen and sinful.  I've been around people who said the most horrible things when they were drunk.  There are people who are the nicest most discreet folks until they get some liquor into them.  Suddenly their mouths are transformed as they begin to curse and say sexually perverse things to the opposite sex.  Some were horrified to learn how they spoke the next day as they recovered from their drunken state.  Yet a simple reading of Romans chatper 3 should remind us that one of the traits of the sinful nature is its horrific effect on the mouth and the tongue.  Romans 3:13-14 tells us that sinful man's throat is, "an open grave."  We are also told, "With their tongues they keep deceiving.  The poison of asps is under their lips."  Finally we are reminded there that their mouths are, "full of cursing and bitterness."  Oh how the mouth of fallen man is loosed without any discernment when alcohol numbs their thinking and their conscience.  Unfortunately, I've known of relationships that were ended because of things that were said in a drunken stupor. 

The wise man knows that the last thing he needs is a relaxation of his ability to discern and discreetly chose how he speaks and lives.  Since alcohol deadens these things, wisdom tells us to steer clear of all abuse of alcohol.  Wisdom warns us against drinking any level of alcoholic beverages because it may deaden our heart's ability to hold our tongues from saying truly stupid and foolish things.  Such passages as these in Proverbs should warn even the novice that taking up an alcoholic drink can be dangerous indeed - especially if we want to see things clearly and speak those things that honor and glorify God.