Proverbs Chapter 10
Scott Bruegman
Welcome back to the Riddles of the Wise walk through the book of Proverbs! Today, we’re looking at chapter 10. While there are many things we could discuss in this chapter, I want to talk about how we use our words. Three verses really stood out to me today:
Prov. 10:11, “The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain; the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions.”
Prov. 10:21, “The words of the godly encourage many, but fools are destroyed by their lack of common sense.”
Prov. 10:32, “The lips of the godly speak helpful words, but the mouth of the wicked speaks perverse words.”
In these verses, Solomon goes out of his way to remind us of the power of our words. Most of us can remember something that somebody said to us years ago, and we’ve never forgotten. Maybe it was good. Maybe it was bad. But, if you thought about it for a while, you probably could think of times in your life when somebody’s words turned your entire day around. Someone complimented you, told you that they believed in you, or told you that you were doing a real good job. And, those words changed your mood, your level of joy, and even your outlook on life. Words are powerful. Very powerful. Words are a “life-giving fountain,” and we must treat them that way.
Today, what if you changed someone’s day with your words on purpose? What if you encouraged a friend or loved one out of the blue? What if you called somebody to remind them that you love them, tell them they are valuable, and thank them for being in your life. With your words, you can help, encourage, and speak life into people all around you. And, as we all know, the opposite is also true. We can hurt, discourage, and drain the life out of people with our words if we are not careful.
Two Things:
1. Have you hurt or discouraged anyone with your words lately? If so, I challenge you to contact them, apologize, and speak life into them today.
2. Who could you surprise this week with life giving, encouraging, and helpful words? Call them, email them, or text them. Be courageous!
Have a great day!
Shawn