My dear readers,

What Does Your Mouth Germinate?

Proverbs 10:31: “The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out.”

Numerous verses in the Bible warn us of the danger of words that are carelessly uttered. The Book of James contains one of the best and perhaps most well-known verses on the power of the tongue. James 3:1-12: “My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.”

To those who take heed, life is rich and friends are made. Relationships built are sweeter than honey. But when we are careless with our mouths, the warning of judgment puts the fear of God into our hearts! Relationships are destroyed. Lives are ruined. Spiritual lives are hampered and destroyed because of the careless tongue. But Proverbs 10:31 teaches us that the tongue can be used for good in a significant way.

Proverbs 10:31 provides a new perspective on the power of words. The tongue has the power to bring forth, i.e. germinate, wisdom! It is not just any tongue but “the mouth of the just can bring forth wisdom.” The just or righteous refers to the child of God. He alone has been imputed with the righteousness of God in Christ. Romans 4:22-25: “And therefore it was imputed to him [Abraham] for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” Unbelievers cannot be righteous. Their mouths cannot bring forth wisdom.

The “wisdom” referred to here is the application of the Word of God to the right circumstances in life so that God's children will live lives pleasing to God and bring glory to His Holy Name. God’s children have been endowed with the mind of Christ upon salvation. 1 Corinthians 2:16: “For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we [Christians] have the mind of Christ.” With this God-given mind, we are able to understand and apply God's Word to our daily lives. We learn how to be godly parents, husbands and wives within our homes. We go to work as servants of God, bearing a holy witness for Christ constrained by Christ’s love. Money and promotion no longer motivate us. We live by faith and not by mammon. We find great joy in all things spiritual such as worshipping the Lord with God's people every Lord’s Day, attending fellowships, studying the Bible, praying with God’s people and sharing the gospel with loved ones and friends when the opportunity arises. When we face enemies who persecute us for our faith, we respond in love as our Saviour has taught by His humble example. We stay away from God's enemies knowing that association or fellowship with them will displease Him and shame the Name of Christ.

The words we speak or counsel will help others to be more Christ-like. Our words are seasoned with salt. When we speak with sinners, we show forth God’s love for them in Christ so that they might become believers and be saved. Colossians 4:5-6: “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” The words of the just are grounded in God’s Word. Therefore the just will teach the Word of God and speak to God’s people according to God's Truth. The just will encourage believers. They will help God's children grow in the grace and knowledge of God in Christ and mature, who in turn will be blessings to other believers. More and more believers will be encouraged through the impact of more mature believers. This growth begins with one believer whose righteous mouth speaks wisdom and brings growth to others.

On the other hand, the froward, i.e. perverse or fraudulent, tongue will be cut out. This is figurative language. All unbelievers have a froward tongue. This does not mean that they cannot speak the truth to their family and friends. These superficial truths are based upon the marred image of God that remains in every sinner though he is totally depraved, i.e. spiritually dead and blind. Unbelievers can still care and provide for their families for society to have a semblance of orderliness. If the image of God in man is annihilated, beastlike behaviour will become the norm, as seen in times of war. God mercifully permits society to live in an orderly manner despite being governed by unregenerated sinners. What they say and teach in a godless and idolatrous society will be destroyed by God one day when He destroys this world. In this manner, God will cut off the froward tongue. 

However, the immediate focus of the fraudulent tongue is within the nation of Israel, i.e. the people of God. It must begin with God's Word. God warns every false teacher who teaches lies in the name of Christ. God will undoubtedly cut off their froward tongues. It is not limited to teachers and preachers of God’s Word but applies to all who call themselves Christians. For example, if a person says he is a Christian but does not live the life of a Christian according to God’s Word and reflecting the holy Saviour in his talk and walk, he is a fraud. God knows his thoughts and motives behind every word and deed and evaluates them according to His holiness as revealed in Holy Scriptures. The moment one aspect is not in line with God's Word, God will reject his whole witness. He has a froward tongue. Spiritually speaking, marring the name of Christ is the most deadly of all froward tongues. Christ’s name is the only name under heaven whereby a sinner can be saved. When it is marred or misrepresented, sinners cannot be saved even though they believe they are since they have received Christ into their hearts. However, it is a false Christ that they believe in. It would have been better that they had not heard of such a false Christ.

God will indeed cut off the froward tongues of these false teachers and preachers. Tragically, their victims will be cast into hell when they die in their sins because they believe in a false Christ with no real transformation from a sinner to a saint! 2 Peter 2:20-22: “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.”

Conclusion – Words are always more powerful than the sword. The sword kills one person at a time and is fixed in one location. In contrast, the words of men spread like wildfire that can kill many. The reach is global, especially in the internet world that we live in. The words of the Christians are a million times more significant. The name of Christ can be irreparably damaged when professing believers do not keep their word, lie, deceive and do not live holy lives. Their tongues are froward in God's sight. God will cut them off, as He said. But the mouths of believers speak God's Truths and bring forth lives. Sinners are saved by the true gospel. Fellow believers are strengthened in their faith as they grow in the grace and knowledge of God's Word. How then can any child of God not speak words that will bring life to God’s glory? Amen.