Be Silent!

They would take any opportunity to build themselves up by pulling someone else down.

Proverbs 10:1-32

Reference: “From the mouth of the righteous comes the fruit of wisdom, but a perverse tongue will be silenced.” Proverbs‬ ‭10:31‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Explore: Do you know someone who has a sharp tongue? Someone whose words tend to bring harm rather than building goodness?

While I know that I have to watch my tongue at times, there are some people I have known that seemed to take delight in tearing people apart with their words. They would take any opportunity to build themselves up by pulling someone else down.

Now, there were times when these people were called to task and put in their place but that didn’t stop them from being harsh with their words. Still to this day they are using their barbed tongue to hurt.

Application: And then I read a verse like Proverbs 10:31 “From the mouth of the righteous comes the fruit of wisdom, but a perverse tongue will be silenced.”

If I look realistically in my world, perverse tongues are not always silenced. They are often attached to quick minds which bite back and move forward.

These tongues are connected to those who run for government leadership, who are paid to teach children and even those who are put into church positions. And it made me think, do I agree with this Bible verse?

I thought that often it is not the perverse tongue that is silenced but it is still wagging and given more authority here on earth. And then I realised I had answered my own question.

Here on earth these perverse tongues may get a voice, but not in God’s kingdom. Where there is love and peace, the righteous bear wisdom.

Here on earth there is always perverse tongues but our call is to bring God’s kingdom to our world.  So let us not be the ones that God needs to silence but may we bring great fruits of God’s kingdom in our world today.

Prayer: Lord, I ask you to silence my tongue when I am tearing people down. May I continue to grow in wisdom so I can build others up. Amen.

Are you someone who brings wisdom with your words or do you need to be silenced?

earth, kingdom, people, Proverbs, wisdom, words