Probing Proverbs 10:31-32: It’s the”Cause” that causes the effect!

Probing Proverbs 10:31-32 The mouth of the godly person gives wise advice, but the tongue that deceives will be cut off. The lips of the godly speak helpful words, but the mouth of the wicked speaks perverse words.

A young mother once wrote: I stayed with my parents for several days after the birth of our first child. One afternoon, I remarked to my mother that it was surprising our baby had dark hair, since both my husband and I are fair. She said, `Well, your daddy has black hair.' `But, Mama, that doesn't matter because I'm adopted.' With an embarrassed smile, she said the most wonderful words I've ever heard:  `I always forget.'"

Proverbs is filled with wisdom and warnings about the power of words. Today a lot of people ignore that and many even play with words, hoping to manipulate the truth. As people who claim to have the Truth, we need to measure our words. I know my mouth has gotten me into trouble many times. It is important that we are slow to speak so that we give ourselves time…and especially give the Holy Spirit time to guide our tongue.

This Proverb addresses the most important issue though when it comes to our words. Many people can craft words that sound good and soothing, yet their intent may be less than honest. The mind is important in helping us choose our words wisely, however, the greatest impact we can have on our words is by the content of our heart. Notice this Proverb states:

The mouth of the godly person gives wise advice…The lips of the godly speak helpful words

What we are impacts our words the most. An ungodly person can say the right things, but it will not be something that happens naturally. The “cause” is our heart, which guides the “effect” which is our words. Jesus made this clear!

Matthew 15:17–19 “Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated? “But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.

This is why the “Pharisee” can speak so cruelly, which causes many in the world confusion. They see what they think represents God, yet do not understand that “religiosity” never represents God! God offers a relationship that will express itself into a system of life beliefs. That system is called a religion, but the system is never the source of “Truth” the relationship is. When we remove the relationship out of the religion we do not have Christianity, we have “Churchianity,” which is nothing more than a dead system. Someone who is truly indwelt with the Holy Spirit would never spew words that kill or damage. The Truth, though it may hurt, is always to bring life and wholeness. So even when we have to stand on a Truth that the world hates, if they are made at us, let it be over the Truth we have stated, not the way we stated it. That is why living close to God is so important, godly living will lead to godly communication.

For example, I realize that so many in the world want to say Jesus was a great and good person, but they are offended if we say He is the only way to God. People that are nice and kind bristle at that, claiming that statement is narrow minded and judgmental. When we “yell” back in confident anger, that is not the way our Lord speaks the Truth. Jesus was tough with religious hypocrites who were trying to enslave people in a dead system. Yet, when it came to people that were blind to the Truth, but trying to understand it Jesus politely and lovingly just shared the Truth. He did not apologize for it, but He also did not try to soften it. He let the Truth speak for itself; He just shared it in a way where individuals would have to deal with the message…not the messenger.  When an individual challenges me that there has to be many ways to God, I simply share with them they have the right to believe what they want. I limit my faith to only one source of Truth, the Scriptures. They state there is only one way, if a person wants to stand where Scripture stands, then only one way is possible. I have had many people think me a fool and show anger about what the Scripture states, yet they were not angry with me for how I said it, they just disagree. Our tongue should reflect the same love, grace, mercy, and truth that the Scriptures show concerning God’s heart.  

Consider what the half brother of our Lord Jesus stated:

James 1:26–27 If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless. Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

There are some important facts we need to consider about our tongue, I want to start our thoughts on this and then follow up on the next Devo.

It has been stated:  "Nothing is so often opened by mistake as the mouth." 

Proverbs 12:13 An evil man is trapped by his sinful talk, but a righteous man escapes trouble.

Proverbs 15:1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Important Facts About The Tongue:

·      1. 30 seconds to destroy a lifetime testimony

Many come to realize to late that a solid testimony for Christ takes a lifetime to build; it can be destroyed in 30 seconds! Obviously God is gracious and will help an individual to recover, but it is wiser to never have to go through that.

James 1:26 If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.

James 3:9–12 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? ¹Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh.

Next Devo we will look at 3 more, but today ask yourself, what are your words showing about your life?