19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.
20 The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.
21 The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.
I like the contrast between verse 19 and 20-21. On one hand, an abundance of words will not lack sin and it is wise to control what we say. On the other hand, if our hearts are just, then the words we speak will be useful because many “fools” die for their lack of wisdom.
This is a silly reference, but I think about something the scarecrow said from The Wizard of Oz. “People without brains to an awful lot of talking.”
More importantly, I think about something Jesus said: “Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account on the day of judgment.”
Thanks be to God for His mercy through His Son, by whom we have passed from judgment to life. How many careless words have we spoken? How much sin has poured out of our mouths?
God makes all things through His word. Jesus, who is The Word made flesh died for our sins, including our idle words.
The words we speak matter. I know many would disagree with me, but words are violence. Words kill. Words make alive. Yet, to stop the speech of those who you disagree with using more violent words or violent actions is hypocrisy. We have a flood of words going out into the world by those who want to drown out any who stand in their way, and hypocrisy abounds. Let us be on guard against all malice and hypocrisy.
I pray, and trust, that the Lord will provide those who trust in Him with His words: not words of foolishness, but words of choice silver. Words that feed many. Words that bring wisdom to fools. Word that testify of He who is Life.
Life has shown me that we do not need violent words of malice or violent actions because the truth is violent enough for those who hate the truth. It is violent because in their denial of the truth and hatred for those who stand up for truth: especially He who Is Truth, they condemn themselves. We don’t have to lift a finger against them, and we shouldn’t.
God is in control of all things, and He will do the fighting for us. His Word is our weapon. I know that if we humble ourselves, look to Jesus above man—including our own religious authorities who have by and large misused the word—we will be granted this defense. One day, Jesus, who is The Word Of God will come and He will avenge. His Word will set the world on fire—and what will He be if it is already kindled? He will be glad.
We need to turn our hearts to Jesus and seek Him above all else. I know that He does in-fact reward those who “diligently seek Him.” I know that He will work on our hearts because our salvation is wrought in He who is True. He will do all things for us who trust in Him.
There is so much goodness that He can pour into us, and out of us will come this goodness. A goodness that knows when to destroy and in what manner. A goodness that knows when to build and in what manner.
Man does all things backwards because man is foolish. Do not worship Man. Worship Jesus. Worship God. Worship He who made all things for His purposes. Worship He who holds our souls in His hand. Worship He who is the source of all things—without whom, we could do nothing. Worship He who can make our foolish hearts wise and our words will follow, because as Jesus says, “out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.”
It all begins with grace, and by grace we are humbled before God. In humility we will remember what Paul the apostle said, “boast not against the root because the root bears you.” There are many evils in this nation and within our churches, but the founders dealt with much so that we could have the freedoms we have. They dealt with much so we could come to know the Lord, Jesus. They deal with much, even blindness, so that we can learn and grow.
The mercy of God is vast and we cannot know it nor judge it.
It is also true, that before we go around judging “The Great Whore” we must recognize that we have been a part of her too. She is not fully formed, but she has always been. The call to “come out of her” has always been. “The beast” has always been. The call to wait and watch for the bridegroom who soon comes has always been.
In our lives of complacency, we have forgotten. We will be reminded. So, let us remember and turn to the Lord—with hearts of thankfulness, praise, and humility—so that we can have eyes to see and ears to hear, and so that we can have hearts that know Him and mouths that speak the right things—even if it means death.
No one can really share this with you. It’s too intricate and personal to the individual. What we have, we can try to share, but as the parable says, you must have oil in your own lamp. Seek Jesus. He will provide it.
Jesus Alone 