Thoughts on the topic of speech from the book of wisdom

This will be my second post on the topic of speech from the book of proverbs. Proverbs has much to say on the topic and due to the shear number of verses available on this topic, will provide ate a number of posts related to it

Speech

It has been years since I have wrote the first in this series on speech in proverbs. I am slightly surprised by the delay since the Proverbs have so much to say on the topic.

How does speech relate to prosperity, life and peace? Much in every way, and Solomon, ever the graphic storyteller, has some word pictures that are meant to stick in the mind, somewhat like an ear-worm – that constant tune you can’t get out of your head. Solomon wants to provide us mind worms, pictures in our mind that need to rise to our thoughts as we walk through our lives.

Proverbs 10:11

The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. KJV

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. ESV

But first, let us consider the last phrase. Does violence cover the mouth, or the mouth covers over violence?

I tend to like (a preference with absolutely no support other than my personal history with the KJV) the idea or word picture of violence covering the mouth of the wicked. But for a moment, let’s consider the message of the ESV, (and to be honest, the majority of other translations!)

For the mouth to cover violence is to hide the violence, to minimize, to distract from, to lie about the violence. Of course this does not assign the origin of any violence to the wicked person trying to cover it up, but I think it is only natural to associate it. Who is going to cover over violence of someone else, unless there is an advantage for the speaker?

Yet this is a common refrain through the Scriptures, that the wicked lie. They distract the hearer from danger, and seek to sugar-coat the truth until it is unrecognizable.

Yes the mouth of the wicked conceals violence, and as we know from the Scriptures, this violence often turns on the wicked. How foolish to live in a delusion of “concealing violence” when in fact it is that very violence being concealed that may actually fall on the wicked.

The message is clear, and is not dependent on this lone verse within the Word to be established. An example might be Haman for those interested in following this thought. I will leave it to the reader to chase that topic.

For the same verse, as mentioned earlier, as the KJV, and other versions translate it, violence covers the mouth of the wicked. What a word picture – I can’t help but think of my little grandson, stuffing banana, avocado, or any other yummy treat into his mouth prior to being “civilized with the tools of fork and spoon. A mess to say the least! Yet that picture doesn’t quite fit the message. That little boy is just too cute to associate with the wicked!

Violence covering the mouth brings to mind one’s appearance, of junk (violence) on the face, of the mouth no longer visible but for the junk, the violence that is characteristic of the source.

When violence covers the mouth, there is no opportunity for good to be expressed, for anything other than violence to pour out. When a mouth is covered over, it is the result of that which pours out of that orifice!

Now of course, we know that orifice called the mouth is simply a physical member of our bodies that expresses our hearts. The mouth either expresses fresh water or salty, grapes or figs.

James 3:11-12

Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.

Is it not expected that the mouth be covered with violence, for violence is embedded in our heart. Violence is the nature of the war we live in, prior to meeting Jesus. Is it not the truth that He is our peace? He produces peace in our lives, and that we are to be peacemeakers?

At no time in the believers life can we justify a destructive behavior, a period of violence to reside in our hearts. As we do, the violence will cover our mouths, the violence will be seen by all, (except possibly by us) and the peace that is such a great gift is simply jettisoned from our lives for the sake of pride, arrogance and a rejection of God’s Spirit.

Our verse began with…

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life

Solomon writes of not only the mouth of the righteous as life giving water, but also of providing life sustaining foods

Proverbs 16:24

Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

and again..

Proverbs 10:21

The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.

When we converse with others, our loved ones or our enemies, check the content of that which pours out of that orifice! Is the message that of life and health, or violence and division? Of peace or destruction?

In other words, how messy does you mouth appear to others?

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