Read
23Watching what you say
can save you
a lot of trouble.
24If you are proud and conceited,
everyone will say,
“You're a snob!”
25If you want too much
and are too lazy to work,
it could be fatal.
26But people who obey God
are always generous.
Reflect
There are so many ways to get in trouble! The Proverbs are a great collection of sayings that remind us that wisdom and foolishness lead to clearly different outcomes! This reading reminds us that we live wisely when we have quick hands and a slow tongue. I don’t know how many times I have spoken too quickly. The fallout is almost always bad! The Teacher says, “Watching what you say can save you a lot of trouble” (v 23).
If you keep your mouth shut, you will stay out of trouble. We’ve all experienced times when we wish we had held our tongue, haven’t we?
The tongue is so powerful – to build up and encourage – or tear down and destroy. Have you ever been the victim of a “mean girl?” You know, that person who verbally mocks you, belittling you in order to elevate her or himself. Our Teacher reminds us that the mocker is proud, arrogant. We avoid these people if we can. We hope to be spared their verbal abuse and we secretly love it when their loose tongues get them in trouble.
And often it does. Our attitudes and actions almost always lead to predictable consequences. A quick tongue can land me in a whole lot of trouble – but so can slow hands! If I am lazy and greedy, living with an attitude of entitlement, my chances of financial ruin are pretty high. The Teacher also reminds me that I am also quite un-Godlike when I am feeling entitled to a free ride and that my desires will lead to my ruin. In fact, I can be lazy and greedy, always wanting more but expecting to acquire it with no effort on my part. In contrast, our God is generous, a giver of good gifts! He even gave his Son to redeem those who were His enemies. I have the privilege of using my tongue to build up and my hands to work so I can be generous to others just as my God is generous! So may I have a slow tongue and quick hands!
Respond
Thank you Lord that you are generous! You could so easily justify ripping me apart verbally, and judging all of my sin. Yet you are generous – you gave your Son to redeem, not condemn me even while I was a sinner and a sworn enemy. Help me by your Spirit to be slow to speak, to use my tongue to build up and encourage, and to work hard so that I can be generous to others. Amen.
Bill Taylor
Bill Taylor has been the Executive Director of the Evangelical Free Church since 2008. He previously serviced as pastor of Saskatoon Evangelical Free Church followed by District Superintendent of the Alberta Parkland District. He is a member of the National Mission LeadershipTeam, the International Mission Leadership Team and the Ministerial Standing Committee. He represents the Free Church on various Boards and Committees in Canada, the USA and overseas. Bill and his wife, Deb, have two daughters and one son-in-law. Publications: “From Childhood to Adolescence” - the history of the Evangelical Free Church of Canada from 1984 to 2005.