Proverbs 12:17-20 says,...

Today's verses are Proverbs 12:17-20, which read,

v.17 - He who speaks truth tells what is right, but a false witness, deceit.

Our lives sometimes take us into a court of law.  It might be our own doing or it could be a requirement of citizenship or the consequences of others infractions of the law that have bled over into our lives.  In these situations the proverb is to speak the truth and not be a false witness.  Speaking truth brings about what is right that is so desperately needed in the court of law.  Being a false witness brings about more deceit along with more falsehoods allowed to linger and impact society.  

"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"  You raise your right hand and swear this oath.  You used to put your hand on the Bible when giving your answer.  You put your hand on the Bible, why?  Because the Bible was seen by the general public as where truth came from or the standard of truth for the land.  How much that has changed but the words of the Bible haven't that continues to command us to speak truth.

v.18 - There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

Thrusts of a sword or healing, what are the results of your words?  Jab wounds are so hard to heal because they do damage deep within even though it might be a small wound on the surface.  The small outside wound might be taken care of with a few well place stitches but the damage underneath the skin could go undetected for awhile and result in deadly consequences.  Rashly spoken words never are just skin deep.  The proverb is that they go deeper than you think and inflict more damage than is seen.

The tongue of the wise brings healing because God is a God of healing.  He came to fix things.  He came to heal our souls.  He came so that we might be saved, the ultimate healing.  We speak of Him to others as God, the great Physician, starts to repair not just the surface wound but the damage deep within.  We just speak of Him with our tongues but He does the work that no one else can do.  We put a lot of stake in the expert of the land in the medical field that we received to work on us in a time of physical crisis, "He's the best in his field, the top of his class."  Well, we speak to others about the One who is the best in the world that He created to heal a sin laden wounded heart.

v.19 - Truthful lips will be established forever, but a lying tongue is only for a moment.

We can't seem to get away from the help and hurt of the tongue today.  Solomon points us to where this is seen the most by others and what is at our disposal to do good or do evil.  Maybe something bigger is being spoken of here.

Jesus is spoken of in prophecy as having a kingdom that will last forever.  His lips are forever truthful and established through His coming, living, dying, and rising again on the third day.  In contrast is the tongue of Satan who is only here in relationship to Jesus' forever as a moment.  Satan is described as the father of lies.  Here is a proverb that explains the battle of all battles and the outcome that is to come.  

v.20 - Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but counselors of peace have joy.

Those who devise evil are focused on themselves.  Counselors are here to help others.  In the heart of those who focus on themselves is deceit or to hurl, cast, or shoot something upon someone else in a negative way.  In the heart of those who focus on others, the counselors, is peace or obtain a covenant that results in the positive welfare of all parties.  Deceit brings upon evil and peace brings upon joy.  Here is another side by side that displays that the wise have such a fuller life than those who are foolish.

Remember today that you are not just wounding the skin of another when you allow your tongue to be used of Satan for his evil schemes.  You are jabbing in much deeper that is doing internal damage.  Also remember that that same tongue can be used by God for His healing properties.  You are speaking to others of the One who can doing surgery like none other to the most damaged of lives.  Who is your tongue being used for today?  Let's pray.

"Lord, may I not underestimate the damage that my tongue can do.  May I see that I need to right what is wrong with Your words and ways so that healing can take place where I can not reach.  May I also be ready to share with another the Physician of the soul to those wounded by the wickedness of tongues used by Satan.  Your kingdom of truth is forever.  Amen."

Pastor Adam
A simple man serving a great God and the local pastor of Stillwater Community Chapel (stillwater-chapel.org). We are in our 38th year of full time ministry. God directed us to this local body of believers on the Western Range of the Rockies to grow with them in mission and mindedness of Christ.

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