WORD POWER by Dr. Shah, Clearview Church, Henderson
Introduction: Words have power. Some words can make us happy but some words can make us sad. Take for example: Ice cream (Happy), Heartbroken (Sad), Christmas (Happy), Goodbye (Sad), Weekend (Happy), Time for Bed (Sad). Some words can inspire us and yet others can depress us: Goals (Inspiring), Graduation (Inspiring), Taxes (Depressing), Bills (Depressing), Migraine (Depressing). Today’s message is on the power in our words. Here’s the point: God has entrusted us with incredible power. It is not located in our minds or our biceps. It is located in our mouths. We can either use our words to breathe life or we can use our words to bring death. You don’t have to be the smartest or the strongest person to have word power. That’s the title of our message today—WORD POWER.
Proverbs 10:11-21 is a series of contrasts between wise words and foolish words, between righteous lips and wicked hearts. Each proverb is linked to the next with common words or similar sounding words in Hebrew. In English, they may appear to be a bunch of platitudes thrown together randomly, but, in reality, they are a beautiful tapestry weaved together by the wisdom of God.
11 “The mouth of the righteous is a well of life…” The Hebrew word for well is “maqor,” which means spring or fountain. In the ancient Near East, water was in short supply, and still is. A natural spring or wellspring was very precious. People would gather around it and even fight over it. In the Old Testament, we see several conflicts over wells. King Abimelech’s (Gerar) servants seized Abraham’s wells. Later, the Philistines stopped up Isaac’s wells. Moses defended Jethro’s daughters from the wicked shepherds at the well. Bottom line: Just like the well in the ancient Near East, the mouth of the righteous person is a precious commodity. People gather around it and claim it because it gives life. By the way, the phrase “well or fountain of life” is found 3 other times in the Book of Proverbs. One of them is Proverbs 14:27 “The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life…” Wise words are on the same level as godly reverence! To the contrary, 11 “…but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.” Ironically, the word for violence is “hamas,” just like the terrorist organization. In Arabic, it means zeal or courage. Even though Solomon was not talking about the terror group, what a stark reminder!
Application: Do your words refresh and give life, or do they destroy and take life? Do people gather around you because they know they will find life or do they avoid you? I am here because people like my parents and other godly people spoke words of encouragement into my life.
12 “Hatred stirs up strife…” The opening of this verse is expanding the second part of the previous proverb 11 “…violence covers the mouth of the wicked.” The violent words of the wicked are due to the hate that is resident in their hearts. They can’t help but stir up trouble. Sometime you need to be careful how you talk to your own selves. Don’t hate your own self! To the contrary, 12 “…but love covers all sins.” This is expanding the first part of the previous proverb 11 “The mouth of the righteous is a well of life…” The reason the mouth of the righteous is full of life is because love is the spring that feeds their hearts and it comes through in gracious and forgiving words. The love of God is flowing through their hearts.Romans 5:5 “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
Illustration: As some of you know, I love the Old West. During the summer, especially in Nevada, a pool of water would be sitting under the hot sun and the surface water would evaporate, leaving behind deadly minerals in high concentration. An unsuspecting thirsty traveler would drink from it and the arsenic would cause a rapid and painful death. What were some signs to look for? Dead vegetation and animal or human bones by the oasis.
Application: Is there deadness around you? Only the love of God flowing through your heart will cover all sins and bring life to those around you. Maybe you grew up in that atmosphere. You can change. You say, “it’s hard.” Listen to I Peter 4:8 “And above all things have fervent love for one another, for ‘love will cover a multitude of sins.’”
13 “Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has understanding, but a rod is for the back of him who is devoid of understanding.” First, who is an understanding person? According to the Book of Proverbs, an understanding person (nabon) is someone who seeks and finds knowledge. They recognize the moral order of God. They submit themselves to the guidance and correction of God. Second, how do you receive wisdom? The way the Hebrew is constructed, the wisdom from the lips of those who have understanding are like a rod on the back of those who are devoid of understanding. If you are wise, you will recognize when you hear wisdom and you will seek for more. If you are foolish, it may come across as a tongue lashing. If you desire to be wise, you won’t reject it. You’ll be humble and willing to take it. I’ve had to endure discipline through the years. It’s not fun and it’s easy to become bitter and angry towards the person, but if you receive the discipline with humility, you will be wise.
14 “Wise people store up knowledge, But the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.” The key to becoming wise is to you stop speaking and start storing up. If you keep talking, you will destroy what little you do have and remain foolish. Are you a talker or do you stop long enough to listen to wisdom? I heard about a very successful pastor who ran into a young church planter. The young guy asked for a few minutes of his time. The senior pastor agreed. Unfortunately, the young man talked solid for an hour. The veteran pastor got up and left. Probably the greatest lesson I have learned about speaking is the art of not speaking and listening.
15 “The rich man’s wealth is his strong city…” It seems as if Solomon has changed the subject from words to wealth. Not so. He is still talking about words. He is building on the common word “destruction” between verses 14 and 15. Those who are wise become wiser just like a rich person invests and builds up his assets. He/she recognizes the value of wisdom and seeks to gain more wisdom. To the contrary, 15 “…The destruction of the poor istheir poverty.” Unfortunately, the poor in wisdom remain in their predicament and their lack of wisdom reinforces their foolishness. 16 “The labor of the righteous leads to life, The wages of the wicked to sin. 17 He who keeps instruction is in the way of life, but he who refuses correction goes astray.” If you refuse to work for righteous instruction, you will reap the wages of sin. If you refuse words of correction, you will continue in your destruction.
Application: How do you handle discipline? Do you resent the person? Do you receive the person?
Watch out for speech contamination. 18 “Whoever hides hatred has lying lips…” For a time, you may be able to fool people by your words. But, if there is hate in your hearts, your speech is corrupted. You are biased. This could be an unrelated situation but your integrity is compromised. A classic example would be the scribes and the Pharisees. They hated Jesus so much that they were willing to lie against him to give a false testimony. In other words, a hateful person cannot be trusted for true wisdom.
For e.g. Charles Bracelen Flood in his book “Lee: The Last Years” talks about a time after the Civil War when General Robert E. Lee visited a woman who lived in the north of Lexington. She immediately took him to the remains of a tree in her yard. The limbs of the tree had been shot off by Union fire during General Hunter Valley Campaigns in 1864. The trunk of the tree had been torn by the cannonballs. She waited for Lee to condemn the North or at least sympathize with her loss. Lee stood there for a little bit and then said, “Cut it down, my dear madam, and then forget it.”
18 “…And whoever spreads slander is a fool.” A hateful person will stop at nothing to destroy someone’s reputation. The Bible calls such a one “fool.”
19 “In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise.” This has often been taken to mean that we shouldn’t talk much. There is truth to that. The less we talk, the less there is a chance to say things that are sinful. But, in the context of verse 18, where there is hatred and slandering, the less we talk the less we have the opportunity to be hateful and slander. How does slander begin? It begins by describing the offense of the offender. If you keep talking about the offense, it’s a matter of time before you will embellish the truth. When you vent and vent and vent, it won’t be long, before you say things that never even happened. You can talk to a counsellor or a trusted friend but be careful about rehearsing imaginary scenarios.
20 “The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; (purified silver = has no dross or impurity) The heart of the wicked is worth little. 21 The lips of the righteous feed many,(Shepherd many) but fools die for lack of wisdom.” Do your words lead people to life-giving pastures by still waters or do they push them off the cliff to a sure, painful death?
Let’s look at the example of Wisdom personified, Jesus Christ, the Wisdom of God.This is what he said regarding the Pharisees and the scribes who opposed him. John 8 43Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. 44You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”
Invitation: How have your words been recently? Have you been wise with your words? What have you said about Jesus Christ? Is He your Savior? Is He your Master? Is He your King?
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