Proverbs 10:17-20 says,...

Today's verses are Proverbs 10:17-20, which read,

v.17 - He is on the path of life who heeds instruction, but he who ignores reproof goes astray.

Counsel.  Do you seek it?  Are you listening to what people are saying to you?  Granted that the counsel you are receiving is based on God's Word and also that the one giving the counsel is someone who lives by God's Word to the best of their ability with God's help.  Are your ears open; your mind clear; you are taking notes; and your lips are shut to be a student of another?  

To heed is to keep, guard, and observe.  This describes someone who has a love for God's Word as it applies to their life to be on that path of life.  To ignore is to leave, loose, or forsake.  This describes someone who applies God's Word when it works for them but then forsakes it when it says something that might mean they need to conform to it.  They go astray from the path of life, walking in the footsteps of Jesus.

v.18 - He who conceals hatred has lying lips, and he who spreads slander is a fool.

To conceal hatred is to not say what is there but instead of handling that hatred with confession and repentance it is held onto to resentment and revenge.  When the fool speaks from this position he has lying lips when he says, "All is fine."  As much as it is wrong to hold in anger that this not on the route to be resolved God's way is the spreading of slander, gossip or lies.  I think we know that this is an obvious wrong action of the Christian but God puts it with the other option of just harboring anger and not resolving it.  Both are the actions of the fool.  Even though it is not coming out of your lips doesn't mean the anger is not there and you usually have to cover it up with another sin of lying that it isn't there and you haven't submitted to His way of dealing with it.  

v.19 - When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, but the who restrains his lips is wise.

This is a really good proverb.  How much do I talk?  How much do I listen?  I really should be listening more than I am talking.  Let's ask the questions another way.  How much do I talk to God?  How much do I listen to Him?  I really should be listening more than I am talking with relationship to God.  To restrain is to keep in check and what a good thing to observe today as I live out this day.  How often am I speaking and how often am I listening?  And remember, it is not just not talking so the other person has a chance to speak but you are really listening to that other person when your lips are closed.  You can recall exactly what they said, observe all the body signals, and feel the passion of their conversation with you.  When I am always the talker watch out because I am on the side to sin more often.

v.20 - The tongue of the righteous is as choice silver, the heart of the wicked is worth little.

So when you speak, after you have been heeding instruction and making sure to deal with anger God's way and listening more than you are speaking especially to God, then those words will come out as precious metal.  Those words will have some value to them as they are being said to others.  Remember the old commercial, "When E.F. Hutton speaks, everyone listens."  Why?  Because you recognize that the person has done their homework and is speaking from the experience of a lived life of integrity.  

The heart of the wicked is tied to the tongue.  What is coming out of the mouth of the fool is what is found deeper within.  It is based upon all talk and no action.  It is based on personal comfort and not sacrificial commitment.  It is based on changing preferences and not concrete principles.  It is not worth much because it could be different tomorrow.  We see this in our political system all the time.  They call it flip-flopping.  They are for something and then they are against it.  Will they be for it again someday?  Whatever they were for before must not have had concrete substance to them for them to be against it now.  Maybe they should have never said they were for it in the first place if it wasn't of that type of conviction in their lives.  We pick on the politicians but we can do the same and the general church has followed this at times in certain factions with the very Word of God, the Bible.

Do my words have value?  Where are those words coming from?  Are they coming from good counsel I am receiving from God and those He has put around me?  Are they coming after following through with His ways to resolve anger that comes upon me?  Are they coming from really listening to others and to God?  There sure is a lot to do before I ever speak.  Let's pray.

"Lord, help me to number my words today.  Help me to seek counsel, resolve anger, and listen again without the hinderances of sin.  Help me to use my tongue after I have sought after You so that what comes out is precious because of You.  Amen."

Pastor Adam