Spend time in prayer and silence with God asking Him to meet with you and speak to you.
Bible Reading
The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,
but the perverse tongue will be cut off.
– Proverbs 10:31
By the mouth of a fool comes a rod for his back,
but the lips of the wise will preserve them.
– Proverbs 14:3
The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,
but the mouths of fools pour out folly.
– Proverbs 15:2
Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,
for he will despise the good sense of your words.
– Proverbs 23:9
Whoever rebukes a man will afterward find more favor
than he who flatters with his tongue.
– Proverbs 28:23
Devotion
Of course the whole book of Proverbs is about wisdom and folly. It is a charge to seek lady wisdom, but it’s also a practical guide for how to live wisely. The benefits of wisdom are trumpeted throughout the book. It makes sense, then, that wisdom should be a characteristic of our words. Several verses help define what wise speech is like by showing the contrast.
Perverse speech, flattery, despising good sense, and folly are included in the list of things that contrast to wisdom in how we speak. Wise speech combines the other characteristics that we talked about this week: truth, life, justice and control. There are other characteristics of wise speech recorded for us in Proverbs. When you read through the book take the time to notice the attributes of speech that honors God and brings life and hope to others.
The Big Question
Do you want to get better at honoring God and people through your speech? One step could help you grow significantly – tell the person you spend the most time talking to. Simply say, “I want my speech to be wise. I think it would be good if I were more _____ (gentle, honest, positive) in what I say. Will you help me figure out ways to do that when we talk?”
Conclude your time in prayer and silence reflecting on what you have learned.