![[Photo of a Scripture verse]](https://www.deankwilson.com/Blog_images/Proverbs_10_32.jpg)
| “The lips of the righteous know what is fitting, but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.” |
| —Proverbs 10:32 |
The words we speak can either heal or hurt. Jay Wickre, writing in the Dubious Musings of a Peculiar Man, offers these wise words: “A bitter man needs to place his troubles on the front of his tongue so that they taste sweeter.” As an observer of the behavior of various people who have crossed the pathway of my life, that statement rings true to me. Yes, words can either heal or hurt.
King Solomon understood this. Notice what he writes in Proverbs 10:32:
The lips of the righteous know what is fitting, but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse.
The natural question arises: Does our speech properly reflect our state of righteousness? Or, do we continue to utter inappropriate words at inappropriate times?
I remember an occasion in a work meeting many years ago, when I asked a question in frustration because I couldn’t imagine why the others in the room seemed so unable to grasp the concept the individual was sharing. My question drew a sharp retort from another at the table.
Fifteen minutes later, following a lengthy intervening discussion during which I remained silent, another person spoke during a pause in the discussion. He said, “I am finally catching up with where Dean was a while back.” He went on to perfectly explain the concept that the others in the meeting still had not grasped.
I thought about that incident a great deal over the next few days. I realized—and I believe this is a gift from God—that, in certain circumstances regarding very concrete topics, I tend to grasp the concepts much quicker than many other people who may well be even smarter than I am. So, I learned from that experience to try to hold myself in check when such circumstances arise.
Sadly, as those who must still interact with me realize, I fail to do what I intend far more often than I succeed. All too often, when it comes to specific tasks or factual discussions, I am ruled by my own impatience.
Now, if the topic had involved human emotions, or social situations, or any of a large number of other topics, I would be the one lagging behind. I am very ignorant when it comes to understanding the nuances of social relationships. Therefore, you can be certain that I will tend to keep more quiet in those situations.
As we begin a new day, we do well to check our speech to see if it reflects the righteousness that God has given us through His Son, Jesus. We must guard our tongues, so that we only speak words that are helpful, encouraging, and healing. We must cast aside all words that might hurt others.
