Leviticus 24:1-25:46 / Mark 10:13-31 / Psalm 44:9-26 / Proverbs 10:20-21
Proverbs says – The words of the godly are like sterling silver and the words of the godly encourage many.
The speech, or what comes out of their mouths, of those who are right with God is valuable. In other words, what the godly says has been carefully chosen and given out to others because it will produce value or carry weight in the lives of others.
To me, the thought behind the action of speech is that the words were carefully pondered before spoken. There was no impulsive pouring out of words, but rather a well-thought-out dialogue with the specific intent of bringing life, health, and peace to the listener.
Have you ever met someone who seems to talk just to hear her own voice? They talk on and on and before long you realize you’re no longer listening. That’s why it’s important to be one of few words, so that when you do have something to share, the value is immediately understood.
If the words of the godly are to encourage many, they must be God’s words and not our own. Our own words may be nice, even kind, but God’s words carry life in them. God’s words carry the ability to bring healing in the soul, and to help us understand the meaning of what God intended for our lives.
So, before you speak, consider, pray and be certain what you’re bringing will bless the ones listening. Does that mean we’ll never have a careless word? No. I’m sure we’ll still have lots of those, but perhaps we’ll find ourselves being more thoughtful. And I have a feeling we’ll find out audience more enraptured. If you’re a speaker or one who shares messages, this would be very encouraging!
